


One Day It's Here and Then It's Gone (How Are You Still Holding On)

by find_your_light



Series: You're Just Lost but You'll Be Found [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - No Island, Angst & Humor, Drama & Romance, F/M, Multi, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2016-04-07
Packaged: 2018-04-13 10:32:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 86,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4518492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/find_your_light/pseuds/find_your_light
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.</p><p>An Olicity Best Friends AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Love Like This Won't Last Forever (But I Don't Mind At All)

**Author's Note:**

> be sure to read Part 1 [**And I'll Love You All the While (Because You Saved My Life Once)**](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3880495/chapters/8674309) before continuing on to this story.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [](http://s1347.photobucket.com/user/Daniella_Kresovic/media/ODIH%20cover_zpspqvtmwqe.jpeg.html)  
> 

_**August 2010** _

_The strobe lights flickered and the music was blasting, thumping loudly in her ears as soon as Felicity stepped in the club. She tightened her grip on Sara's hand, not wanting to get separated from her friend in the crowd. They were at this new club called Poison, getting in with their fake IDs curtesy of Donna Smoak, to celebrate two things: Felicity was officially a high school graduate and she was leaving for Massachusetts tomorrow. Her last night in Starling and she was being dragged out in her tightest dress, probably to get drunk. The plane ride tomorrow was going to be epically horrible._

_The two blondes finally reached the bar, spotting the other girls they were meeting and Felicity smiled at the sight of her friends._

_"Felicityyyy!" Caitlin squealed, obviously already tipsy by the way she forcefully wrapped her arms around Felicity, her balance wavering slightly. Whenever Caitlin got even the slightest bit drunk, she turned into a completely different person, allowing herself to let loose and have fun._

_Felicity laughed, making eye contact with Laurel over Caitlin's shoulder in a silent question, receiving a helpless shrug from the oldest girl of the group. She finally pried the brunette's arms from around her neck, "I see you've started drinking without us. Isn't this supposed to be my party?"_

_"Yes! Because you're a meanie and you're leaving me. But that's okay! Let's do shots!" She clapped her hands in excitement and eagerly made her way to the bartender, who was probably in his mid-twenties and had that whole hipster thing going on._

_Felicity completed the short distance to the Lance sisters, surprised to find only Laurel. She furrowed her brows, "Where'd Sara go?"_

_"Oh, she went to the bathroom. I think she's calling Nyssa, too," Laurel responded, taking a sip of what she suspected was a tequila sunrise. Even though they'd hung out multiple times, it had always been in a group setting and they'd never been left alone. she can't help but feel awkward around the gorgeous brunette, considering she's currently dating the girl’s ex who cheated on her with her sister. Yeah. Awkward._

_Felicity observed the room to try and disguise her uncomfortableness as curiosity of her surroundings. She took in the people around her, the strong smell of alcohol and the gyrating bodies on the dance floor. They all looked so happy, like they didn’t have a care in the world, and she envied that. Things had been hard the last two months without Oliver in Starling. Because of the time differences and how busy she’d been with her classes and getting her stuff ready to move to Boston, it’s difficult for them to find a time when they can talk for longer than 10 minutes, and she misses him so much._

_Laurel’s voice pulled her from her thoughts and she quickly turned to the older Lance, “Are you excited about MIT?” she asked, her voice full of genuine interest._

_She smiled at the thought of the school she’ll be attending, “Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it. It’s such an amazing opportunity for me. You’re going to Starling U, right?”_

_“Yeah, pre-law. Tommy’s going too when he gets back. I think we’re gonna try to have an actual relationship.” A giddy smile spread across Laurel’s face at the mention of Tommy, and Felicity couldn’t help but feel glad that her other best friend could be happy with someone he loves. He deserves that after everything she had put him through._

_“That’s great. I really hope you guys work out. He deserves to be with someone that makes him happy and can love him completely.”_

_“Like you couldn’t?”_

_Felicity’s head shot up from where her eyes were fixed on a sticky spot on the table, expecting to see accusation or anger in the other girl's eyes but only found compassion and understanding. “Yeah, I guess. I loved Tommy, I still do. I just… I don’t think that I ever allowed myself to be truly in love with him, not with the feelings I had for someone else.”_

_“Oliver,” she concluded with a small smile._

_The blonde’s eyes met hers. “Yeah. Oliver.”_

_She took a sip of her drink before a small laugh bubbled past her lips. “You know, I was always a little bit jealous of you.” Felicity’s eyes widened in shock at her confession, but she just kept talking. “Oliver was always different around you. It’s hard to explain, but he was just… different. Better, maybe? He’d look at you and I would just know that we were temporary. And now, with him being away and then you being away and the whole long distance thing, I know that he never would’ve done that for me.”_

_She stared at her, not exactly sure of what to say before she offered her a sweet smile. “Uh, thanks Laurel. It’s been hard with him gone, but it’s nice that you think that we can make it.”_

_“Of course,” Laurel smiled in return and took another sip of her drink._

_About an hour later, Felicity made her way through the crowd of people from the dance floor to the bar, swaying a little as she reached it. She could feel the alcohol from the tequila shots they took pumping through her veins and making her feel warm all over._

_“Pomegranate martini, please!” she yelled at the bartender, the music making it hard for her to hear herself, but the man nodded in acknowledgement. Focusing her eyes forward, Felicity felt a little dizzy so she pulled over a stool and sat down, resting her elbows on the slightly sticky bar top._

_“Can I buy you a drink?” a deep voice asked from next to her._

_Felicity glanced up, blue eyes meeting the light brown ones of a very attractive guy. He was probably in his early twenties, with dirty blonde hair and a nice body. Felicity couldn’t help but think that he was cute and kind of looked like a shorter, slightly less attractive version of Oliver. “I’m okay, thanks.” Just as the words left her mouth, the bartender placed her martini in front of her, waiting expectantly for the money when Cute Guy placed 8 dollars on the table. She slid her drink closer to her and offered Cute Guy a smile, “Thanks.”_

_“No problem. I’m Jake,” Cute Guy -- Jake -- sat in the open stool next to her._

_“Felicity,” she offered, taking a sip of her drink. Not gonna lie, she kind of liked the attention she was getting right now. Cute Guy Jake seemed nice and totally harmless, and Oliver never had time for her anymore. She put a lot of work into getting ready dammit, and it’s nice to feel hot and appreciated._

_“That’s pretty. So, Felicity, do you want to dance?”_

_Felicity took another sip of her drink and tilted her head at him, looking apologetic, “I actually have a boyfriend.”_

_“Really? Cause I don’t see him anywhere,” Cute Guy Jake chuckled, a flirty edge to his voice._

_She sighed and stared down where her fingers played with the bottom of her glass. “Yeah, join the club.”_

_“Trouble in paradise?”_

_“Well he’s in Europe, partying it up with his best friend and probably dancing with gorgeous Italian girls as we speak. Although it’s like 8 in the morning there so he’s probably sleeping cause he’s tired from dancing with gorgeous Italian girls all night,” she explained, voice laced with bitter jealousy and the alcohol causing her to slur._

_Cute Guy Jake laughed again, shifting forward and placing his hand on her thigh, “Well, Felicity, why don’t you get tired from dancing with me all night?” He inched his hand higher up on her leg, fingers nearly reaching the hem of her dress and squeezing lightly. “Then maybe you can sleep… back at my place.”_

_Felicity downed the rest of her drink before standing up, watching his hand fall from her leg. “Thanks, but my boyfriend is way hotter than you so I’d rather not mess that up,” she smiled sweetly at his shocked expression, “Have a good night though!” She walked toward the door of the club, stumbling out as she rummaged through her fuchsia bag. She pushed her way through the groups of drunk people, laughing and waiting for cabs. Having newly-named Creepy Guy Jake’s hand on her bare skin made her feel gross and claustrophobic in the crowded club. Searching through her purse, she finally found her phone and clicked on the all too familiar contact picture, bringing it up to her ear and listening to it ring with her back leaning against the brick wall of a nearby building._

“Hello?” _a groggy voice answered on the last ring, clearly having been woken up by the noise._

_Felicity let out a deep, relieved sigh at the sound of his voice. Just that one word completely calmed her down, making her feel safe. She was brought back to the present when he said her name and she finally responded. “Hi, it’s me.”_

_Oliver laughed over the phone,_ “Yeah, I know. Where are you? It’s late there and it sounds like there’s music in the background.”

_She lifted her hand, running her fingers through her hair. “I’m at… I’m at Poison with the girls for a going away par--” she hiccupped, “-- ty.”_

“Babe, are you drunk?” _Oliver chuckled again._

_“Jus a little bit,” Felicity brought up her hand, holding her thumb and index finger close together even though he couldn’t see her._

“Why are you calling? You should be inside having fun with your friends.”

_“I know and I was but then I thought about you and gorgeous Italian girls and then Cute Guy Jake turned into Creepy Guy Jake and his hand made me feel weird all over and I just miss you and your hands because they don’t make me feel weird all over, they make me feel tingly all over and I just wanna feel tingly all over,” she rambled quickly, voice tripping over her words multiple times._

“What?! Some guy touched you?! Did he do anything to you, are you okay?!”

_“It’s okay, Ol-ver. I’m okay. He wanted to dance and take me home, prolly so he could touch me more with his hands but I told him that my boyfriend is definilly hotter than him and then I ran out here and called you cause your voice makes me feel tingly all over too,” she sighed wistfully, her mind fuzzy, “You make me tingly, Ol-ver. I miss you.”_

_Oliver sighed,_ “You make me tingly, too. And I miss you, Felicity, more than you know.”

_“So you aren’t dancing with gorgeous Italian girls all night?”_

_“_ What? No. These Italian girls have nothing on my beautiful girlfriend back in Starling.”

_Felicity giggled, “That’s meeeee!”_

_“_ Yeah, babe, it’s you,” _he laughed._

_She turned around at the sound of her name being called and saw Sara, Laurel and Caitlin waving her over to the cab they got, obviously having seen her leave the club a few minutes ago. “Ol-ver, I hafta go now, the girls got a cab. But I love you. Thanks for answering, I like feeling tingly.”_

“I love you too. Call me in the morning before your flight, okay?”

_“Okay. Bye, Ol-ver!” Felicity hung up after he returned her goodbye and put her phone back into her bag then walked towards the girls, sliding into the cab. She looked at her friends and sighed, “This was a fun last night. Thanks, guys. Let’s go home.”_

 

* * *

 

**September 2017**

Gazing out the window, Felicity takes a deep breath and a small sip of her vodka cranberry. She’s always hated flying but the thought of where she is going has her even more nervous. Her leg bounces up and down rapidly, and she closes her eyes. A warm hand is placed on her forearm and she forces her eyes open, turning to the elderly woman in the seat next to her.

“Are you alright, dear?” the woman, who’s probably in her late sixties, asks.

Felicity offers a small smile, “Yes, thank you --” she pauses, silently asking for the woman's name.

“Nadine,” she supplies.

“Thank you Nadine. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? You seem very nervous.”

She sighs, fingers playing with hem of her dress. “I just haven’t been here in a while. I’m going to see someone that isn’t very happy with me and I really am not looking forward to it.” She laughs, shaking her head, “I’m sorry, you don’t want to hear my life story. Let’s just go with: yes, I’m nervous.”

Nadine chuckles, squeezing her hand in reassurance, “I’m sure everything will be alright, dear.”

Felicity smiles at the older woman before turning her head to look back out the window, Starling City coming into view. “I hope so.”

 

* * *

 

After the plane lands, Felicity foregoes baggage claim, her belongings already in route from her apartment in Boston on a moving truck. She tightens her grip on the handle of her bag, heels moving her through the airport at a surprising speed. She rounds the corner, tense shoulders immediately relaxing when she sees her friend. A wide smile spreads across her face as she makes her way towards the blonde, wrapping her arms around her neck in a tight embrace. “Sara.”

“Hey, girl! It’s so good to see you. And might I say, your style has become a lot sexier over the years. I definitely approve, you look gorgeous!” Sara exclaims, barely stopping herself from screaming in excitement.

“Me? Look at you! Let me see it,” Felicity pulls back and grips her left hand, pulling it up to examine her ring finger. “Oh Sara, it’s beautiful. I’m so happy for you guys. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there,” she gushes over the white gold wedding band. A few months ago, Sara and her longtime girlfriend Nyssa had gone on a trip to Las Vegas where Felicity was supposed to meet up with them but had to cancel due to work. What she hadn’t known at the time was that the two girls had planned to get married, otherwise she would’ve ditched work and been there in a heartbeat. They got married anyway and have been blissfully happy, living peacefully in their townhouse where Felicity will be staying until she finds a new place of her own.

“Oh forget about it, you’re here now. And hopefully for a while?”

“Hopefully for good. It’s feels nice to be home. I’ve missed it,” she hooks her arm into the elbow of the other girl, “I’ve missed _you._ And I’m excited for tonight. I haven’t been to a good party in forever.”

They make their way towards the main doors where Sara’s car is waiting out front, “Really? You’re not nervous? It’s been what, five years?” Sara narrows her eyes, voice laced with concern.

Felicity sighs, knowing that she’ll be unable to lie to her friend. The truth is, she is more nervous than she has ever been in her entire life. The last time they saw each other, things didn’t end well, and who knows where his life has taken him now; he could be dating someone and she could be with him as his guest, and _that_ would be beyond awkward. Especially considering that she has been living with her decision every day for the last five years, knowing what she’d done and hating herself for it. She can only imagine how much he hates her and frankly, she doesn’t really want to find out. “Can we not talk about it? Let’s just focus on the fact that this is Tommy Merlyn’s engagement party. I mean, even when I dated him, I never thought I’d see the day that he got married. Guess it just took the right girl.”

“Yeah. And you’ll have that one day,” Sara assures before opening the car door and climbing into the driver’s seat.

She settles herself in the passenger seat, buckling her seatbelt and running her fingers through her ponytail, still getting used to the new length. “I don’t know about that. The only person I could ever see myself with… Well, he doesn’t see me that way anymore.”

Sara reaches over the middle console, gripping her hand and squeezing it in reassurance, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. “Everything will be okay. I know it.”

Felicity offers a small smile as Sara puts the car into drive and pulls away from the curb. Turning her head to look out the window, she’s unable to stop the complete and utter feeling of dread that runs through her veins.

 

* * *

 

Oliver sits at his desk, vigorously signing his name repeatedly, flipping through pages at lightning speed just so he can be done with it. Reading, or let’s be real, _skimming_ , and signing contracts is probably what he hates most about his job. The publicity and paparazzi are a close second. But besides that, Oliver actually _likes_ being CEO of Queen Consolidated. He took over the job from his mother about a year ago and it has been a huge challenge, testing him in ways he’s never been tested before. People were skeptical, expecting him to fail and drive the company, his father’s legacy, into the ground within the first few months but here he is, the youngest CEO of a multibillion dollar company in the world.

A beep sounds signaling an incoming call from his secretary, Gretchen, a 60-something year old woman who is damn good at her job and doesn’t take any of his shit. Oliver presses the talk-back button without looking up from his desk, “Yes?”

“Mr. Queen, your sister is here to see you,” Gretchen’s voice reaches his ears, crackling over the speakerphone.

Oliver looks up at that, surprised to in fact see Thea standing in front of Gretchen’s desk, tapping her foot impatiently and rolling her eyes at him. “Send her in,” he instructs before hanging up and straightening the stacks of papers on his glass desk. He remodeled the building since taking over, making it more modern and industrial-looking, glass and chrome being two of the more prominent features.

Thea opens the door with one hand, strutting into her brother’s office and flopping down on his dark grey sofa with her feet dangling over the arm. “Remind me again why I have to wear this stupid badge? It’s not like everyone doesn't know who I am,” she asks, fingering the plastic ID badge clipped to the jacket of her school uniform – another thing she hates, because _of course_ Starling City Prep had to switch to uniforms right as she was starting high school.

“Speedy, hello to you too,” Oliver sighs, already exasperated by the troubled teenager. Things had been good for a while after Robert died, but he thinks that growing up without a father during such a critical time in her life, especially after _she_ stopped calling, took a toll on his kid sister’s emotional state. Being almost 16, she’s started acting out: sneaking out, staying out late to go to parties, and no doubt drinking and probably doing drugs. He has tried to talk to her, find out what’s going on and how he can help her, but she just gets angry at him and storms off. It’s best to just not try and talk about it, her anger leading her to go to a party, which is the last thing he wants.

Thea sighs, a wide smile spreading across her face, “Hello, dear brother-o-mine, it is so lovely to see you. Better?”

“Yup,” he stands and loosens his tie, making his way over to his office’s makeshift sitting area. He looks at his watch, noticing that it’s only just after noon, “Why aren’t you at school?”

“I got bored and came to see you instead.” She groans as a look of disapproval crosses his features, “Don’t look at me like that Ollie. You used to ditch all the time back when you were my age like, a million years ago.”

Oliver rolls his eyes, “Okay first, I’m only 25. Second, I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger and you know that I don’t want that for you. And third, I know that you’re not here just because you miss me, so why don’t you tell me what you really want because I have to get back to work.”

She sighs, swinging her legs around in front of her and sitting up to face him. “Fine. Mom took away my credit card because I failed my math test, and there’s a sale at Gucci and I need a new bag.”

He releases a small chuckle before standing up and making his way back towards his desk, picking up his wallet and pulling out his credit card. Turning around, he finds Thea in front of him holding her palm open expectantly with a wide smile on her face. He holds it out to her, yanking it away just as she tries to close her hand around it, causing her to frown. “One bag,” he warns. She nods happily, hand closing in a fist around the card before placing it in her jacket pocket.

Oliver moves around his desk, resituating himself in his black leather chair and beginning to sign his name on the contracts in front of him again. After a few seconds, he realizes that Thea hasn’t left yet and he looks up, raising his brow expectantly at her.

She shifts uncomfortably, tugging her lower lip between her teeth and glancing down. “There was something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What is it?”

“Are you okay?”

Oliver furrows his brows at her question, “Yeah, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I’m just worried about you. She’ll be there tonight, won’t she?”

Realizing that she’s talking about Tommy’s engagement party, he immediately tenses at the thought of seeing _her_ there. He sighs, trying to relax and nods his head lightly, “I’d assume so. She was invited, after all. But I really can’t say that I have any idea what she does nor do I care.”

“Ollie, come on. You might be able to get away with that with Mom or Tommy, but not me. I know that you still love her.”

“Speedy,” he snaps, taking a deep breath because he really doesn't want to have this fight again.

“No! Look, Ollie, I’m mad at her too. But even _I_ still care and I wasn’t in love with her for basically my entire life. The possibility of seeing her tonight after so many years is probably freaking you out, but I just want you to know that I’m here for you.”

Oliver shifts the papers in front of him in an attempt to stay calm and to not rub his index finger and thumb together like he always does when he’s uncomfortable or nervous. “Thanks, Speedy. I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine. I actually haven’t given tonight much thought. Whatever happens, happens. Our relationship ended almost five years ago. I’m over it. I’ve moved on,” he reassures, pointedly nodding his head towards the picture frame on his desk to make his point.

“Fine. Whatever you need to believe, Ollie. But I know what I know, and what I know is that you still love her. But whatever, don’t listen to me. I’m just a dumb kid, right? Thanks for the card.” With that, Thea turns on her heels and walks out of his office, nodding towards Gretchen before disappearing around the corner towards the executive elevators.

Oliver leans forward on his elbows, rubbing his hands over his face and through his cropped hair, considering his sister’s words. Thea is wrong, she has to be. It’s been years and she broke his heart. He’s moved on. Which is what he repeats to himself over and over again for the rest of the day. If only, deep down, he actually believed it.

 

* * *

 

Felicity steps out of the cab, passing some money to the driver through the window with a small smile. She watches the car drive away and turns around, sucking in a deep breath as she takes in the mansion before her. It’s been awhile since she’s been in the Merlyn household and she takes a minute to steel herself before gathering up the bottom of her bright pink gown and making her way inside. She approaches the security guards, offering her name to double-check on the guest list. Once her invitation is confirmed, she makes her way past the various scattered attendees, immediately spotting the bride-to-be.

A wide smile spreads across her face and she begins making her way to the other woman, who notices her coming over and excuses herself from her conversation. “Laurel, it’s so good to see you! You look amazing. Congratulations!” Felicity extends her arms, pulling the older woman into her arms for a friendly hug.

Laurel hugs her back, giving her a light squeeze before pulling away and moving her hands down her arms to grip her hands, “Thank you! You look beautiful, too. I’m so glad you could make it. Tommy will be thrilled to see you.”

“I can’t wait to see him, too. I’m so happy for you guys.” she offers her a completely genuine smile; she couldn’t be happier that one of her best friends has found someone he loves and will spend the rest of his life with. She’s happy for Laurel too, the older Lance having become a surprisingly close friend over the years.

“Thank you. So how have you been? Are you going to be in town long enough for the wedding?”

“Yeah, I’m actually hoping to move back here for good. I have a job interview that I think is going to work out so if that’s the case, I’m home. Sara and Nyssa are actually letting me stay with them until I find my own place,” Felicity explains, voice laced with excitement at the prospect of her new job at an acclaimed security company.

“Really? We should all have dinner this week! It’d be nice to catch up and you can get readjusted,” Laurel offers.

“Yeah, that’d be great. I’ve missed you all, more than you know.” her voice fades and she casts her eyes downward, unable to stop _him_ from entering her thoughts. 

She catches onto where the blonde’s thoughts have wandered and squeezes her hands, offering a reassuring smile. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”

Felicity laughs bitterly, “I sincerely doubt that. But I guess we’ll find out.”

 

* * *

  

Nursing a glass of scotch, Oliver leans against the bar, eyes focused on the tabletop. A hand claps on his shoulder and he tilts his head, locking eyes with his best friend and smiling.

“Well if it isn’t my best man. Where’s your better half?” Tommy jokes with a grin of his own, signaling to the bartender to pour him a scotch as well.

Oliver chuckles, downing the rest of his drink in one swig. “She’s working tonight. How are you doing? Got cold feet yet?”

“Nah, man. My feet are the warmest they’ve ever been. I don’t even want to wait, if I had it my way we would’ve been married yesterday.”

He laughs and shifts so that his back is to the bar, leaning against it. He listens half-heartedly as Tommy tells him a story about his encounter with Laurel’s Uncle Rob, his eyes darting around the room. Suddenly, he freezes, his entire body tensing when he sees _her._ In an all-too-familiar occurrence, Tommy’s words become white noise and everyone around him fades away when his eyes land on her. _Felicity_ _._ She’s talking to Laurel, head thrown back as she laughs at something the other girl said. Her hair is shorter than he’s used to, falling just below her shoulders in light curls. His eyes move down her body, taking in her sparkly mermaid dress, neckline plunging in both the front and back. He always loved when she showed off her perfect back. She looks breathtaking, like she always does and he has to take a deep breath to try and center the sudden flood of emotions he’d filed away a long time ago. His heart beats faster when she turns her head, her smile becoming softer as her eyes meet his. Oliver is feeling so many emotions right now: relief, hurt, anger… _love_ _._ But he can’t seem to take his eyes off her.

The look in her eyes becoming too much, he begins to feel claustrophobic and he rushes out of the room, muttering a weak excuse to Tommy. Oliver makes it outside and leans forward against the railing of the grand front porch, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles turn white and he tries to take a few deep breathes. After what feels like hours, he finally begins to feel himself calm down. That all comes undone when he hears one word --

“Oliver?”

Immediately tensing at the familiar sweet sound of her voice, he straightens his back and turns around, coming face to face with the woman who saved him and then destroyed him for the first time in nearly five years.

Felicity shifts uncomfortably, looking down before tucking a strand of hair that had fallen behind her ear. “I saw you come out here. It’s good to see you. You look great.”

Oliver clenches his jaw, taking a deep breath through his nose before answering shortly, “Thanks.”

She looks up, nodding her head slowly, a self-deprecating smile on her face at his tense response. “Oliver… I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s nothing you _can_ say, Felicity.”

“Oliver. I’m sorry.”

He huffs a laugh in disbelief at her words, “You’re sorry? You gave up on us, Felicity. You don’t get to be sorry.”

“That’s not fair,” she takes a step closer to him, shaking her head at his accusation.

“Not fair? You know what’s not fair? The fact that you're _here._ Five years of not speaking and now, what? What is it that you _want,_ Felicity?” Oliver steps forward, anger and hurt radiating from him as he looks down at her, his jaw clenched so tightly it might hurt if his entire body didn’t feel numb.

“I don’t have some sort of hidden agenda, Oliver. I’m moving back here. And it would be nice if we could at least be civil considering we still have the same friends. And if I’m being completely honest...” she looks up at him under long lashes, eyes filled with tears. “I miss you.”

“No,” he shakes his head quickly. “You don’t get to miss me. Not after everything.” He moves around her, pushing his way past her and making his way back inside, only stopped by her shaky voice.

“Oliver, please. You have to let me at least explain,” she pleads.

He stops, his shoulders tensing before he turns to face her. His voice is calm, steady, the complete opposite of how he feels whenever he’s around her. “There’s nothing to explain, Felicity. I understand perfectly. You got scared and you gave up on us. You gave up on _me._ That’s all the explanation I need.”

A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	2. I've Only Got Myself to Blame for It (And I Accept It Now)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**October 2010** _

_Cambridge, Massachusetts was a beautiful place and Felicity loved it. The MIT campus was filled with culture, having been founded in the 1800s, and was so unlike everything she was used to back in Starling City, California being different in almost every aspect. Having been there for a little over a month, Felicity was in love with all her classes and most of her professors. It’d been difficult so far to make friends, because sometimes she felt a little out of place with the fact that she’s a year younger than most students and a genius even by MIT standards. Her roommate is a short, red-haired girl named Michelle, and let’s just say she partied more than she studied. The only real negative to being there so far was being away from all her friends. Sara and Caitlin texted her almost every day, filling her in on all the summer drama that she’s missing, but it wasn’t the same as actually being there; sleeping over in Caitlin’s room, watching movies and painting each other’s nails. And she missed Oliver. He and Tommy were somewhere in Greece, and it was still hard for them to find a time where they could talk, especially now with her very busy schedule._

_Felicity tightened her grip on her computer bag, making her way through Killian Court towards this little coffee shop that she fell in love with her first week here; they had the best vanilla lattes. Looking around, she took in her surroundings; students studying on blankets in the grass, the cliché guys playing frisbee. Distracted, she was brought back to the present when she collided with someone, his papers falling to the ground. “Oh my god, I am so sorry!” Felicity clambered to the ground, picking the scattered papers up into a pile._

_“Oh no, don’t worry about. It, it was my fault,” a male voice replied, stammering a bit as he tried to put his papers into his backpack._

_She glanced up at the sound of his voice, eyes falling on a tall man probably around her age, though he looked younger and kind of scrawny, but still cute. He seemed a bit awkward, not unlike herself as he stumbled over his words. Felicity released a small laugh and handed over the papers she had gathered, “Here.”_

_“Thank you so much,” the boy looked up at her and his eyes widened, “Wow, you’re pretty. I mean, you -- obviously, you’re attractive, but I wasn’t hitting on you or anything. Not that I wouldn’t hit on you because like I said, you’re really pretty. But I wasn’t! I swear, I just --” he cut himself off, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before opening them again. “Sorry.”_

_Felicity giggled, smiling sweetly up at him, “It’s okay, really. I’ve had worse rambles. Don’t worry about it.” He returned her smile and they fell into a bit of an awkward silence before she furrowed her brows slightly at him. “What did you say your name was?”_

_“Oh! I didn’t, actually. But it’s Barry. Allen.” Barry shuffled his belongings clumsily between his hands before offering her his right one to shake._

_She accepted it, shaking it lightly with a wide smile pulling up the corners of her lips, “Felicity. Smoak.”_

_“Well, it’s really nice to meet you, Felicity. Do you go to school here?”_

_“Yeah, I’m a freshman. I’m studying computer science.”_

_“No way! That’s really cool. Computers have always interested me. Maybe we could meet up sometime, study together or something,” Barry’s smile fell and his eyes widened as he was quick to recover, “Not as like a date or anything. As friends. I don’t really know a lot of people here, I’m from Central City.”_

_“Really? I’m from Starling. And I’m actually headed to get some coffee from a little shop not too far from here, if you want to join me?”_

_A giddy smile spread across his face as he looked down at her, nodding his head, “I’d love that. Let’s go.”_

 

* * *

 

**September 2017**

Tommy makes his way towards his best friend's office, noticing that Gretchen’s desk is empty and concluding that she’s probably on her lunch break. Seeing Oliver standing near his desk talking on the phone in what seems to be a heated conversation, he silently makes his way into the room, nodding in a hello to his friend and sitting in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

“I don’t care. Get it done,” Oliver finishes tensely, hanging up the phone and nodding a hello in return.

Tommy looks up at him, brows drawing together, “What was that about?”

He runs his hands over his face, sitting in his desk chair and sighing in exasperation, “Just the legal department. There was a mistake in the new contracts for one of our subsidiaries that has to be fixed. I swear, a monkey could do their job better than them.”

“Well I highly doubt that,” he laughs.

Oliver shrugs, “Anyway. What are you doing here?”

“There’s some workers at Verdant today fixing the lights in the dance floor. I don’t really need to monitor them 24/7 so I figured, why not come see if my best friend wants to go get some food?” he offers, hoping his voice doesn’t give any his true motives. Tommy opened his nightclub Verdant about four years ago after he dropped out of SCU, deciding college wasn’t the right fit for him. Turned out he had a knack for business and he already knew everything he could possibly know about nightclubs, his teenage years partying with Oliver having proved beneficial after all.

“I already ate.” Oliver narrows his eyes at his best friend, sensing the underlying concern that laced his voice. “Tommy, why are you really here?”

Tommy sighs, realizing he’s been caught and might as well just tell the truth now. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay after last week. I know that Felicity left after you, I assume you guys talked. You came back looking pretty upset and she never came back in.”

His entire body tenses at the mention of her name, thoughts of their encounter re-entering his mind after trying incredibly hard to push them away since it happened. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“C’mon, man. You can tell me what happened when she went after you. I don’t know everything that went down between you two, but I know that it messed her up. She’s never gotten over it and would never tell me the full story. Whatever happened, you can tell me.”

Oliver’s head shoots up at his friend's words, anger coursing through his veins. “It messed  _her_  up? Tommy, you don’t know what the hell you're talking about. She ended things out of nowhere, not the other way around.” He narrows his eyes at the other man, “And how would you even know that she never got over it? You haven’t seen her in five years.”

He gulps, glancing down and shifting uncomfortably under his best man’s intimidating glare.

“Tommy,” Oliver clenches his jaw, his voice low, “Have you been talking to her?”

“Look, man, please don’t be mad. I know that you cut off all contact with her after she left and that you were in a pretty dark place for a while… But I kept in touch. We’ve been talking over the years; I’ve been filling her in on everyone’s lives. I went to visit her a couple times. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you but I knew you’d be upset.”

“ _Upset_ _?”_ Oliver questions, a disbelieving huff bubbling past his lips as he tries to control the volume of his voice. “She broke my heart and you’ve been visiting her? What, have you been sleeping with her again, too?”

“Hey, watch yourself Ollie. That’s not fair. It’s hasn’t been like that between us since high school and you know it. You’re like a brother to me Ollie, but Felicity is my friend too.”

“Well she isn’t mine. You wanna know what happened between us? She left and that’s all there is to it. She walked out of my life five years ago and I’ve moved on. I’m finally happy now, okay? I’m over her and I’m over this conversation, so if you don’t mind, I have work to do.” Oliver pulls out some files from his top drawer and starts going through them, body still tense as he hopes that Tommy will get the message that he’s through talking and to not push him right now.

“Fine, whatever Ollie,” Tommy sighs, standing up and walking towards the door, noticing that sometime since he got here Gretchen had returned to her desk. Reaching out, he wraps his hand around the door handle, turning around one more time before leaving. “But if you’re over her like you claim that you are, how come you haven’t said her name once during this entire conversation?”

 

* * *

 

Felicity takes a deep breath and climbs out of her brand new (leased) red mini, making her way up the steps to a place that had become like a second home to her. She hasn’t been here since  _that night_  and she needs to prepare herself for the feelings that the mansion stirs in her. Steeling herself, she knocks on the door a few times and waits, twisting her body to take in the property where she, Oliver and Tommy used to play tag, the bushes that they used to hide in.

She hears footsteps rapidly approaching and a voice start speaking before the door swings open. “Britt, I told you that I didn’t want to party toni --” Thea freezes, her voice cutting off her sentence as she takes in the woman before her. The teenager's look of shock quickly morphs into one of bored anger, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the grand wooden door. “So you  _are_  alive.”

“Thea. Wow, you look so old. I feel like just yesterday you were four feet tall and now you look like you’re about to graduate from high school,” Felicity laughs, taking in the younger Queen. Thea really does look older, now the same height as Felicity and she’s obviously grown into her body, no longer the lanky little girl that used to follow her big brother around like a puppy.

“Yeah, that's what happens when you don’t see someone for five years. I mean, I didn’t even get so much as a phone call from the girl I considered to be my sister.” Felicity can see the pain in the girl’s eyes that she is so desperately trying to hide, wanting to appear strong and unfazed by everything around her.

She looks down, fidgeting with the strap of her bag, “Can I come in?”

“It’s a free country,” Thea retorts, moving away from the doorway and into the main room. Felicity follows her, closing the door behind her. “What are you all dressed up for, anyway?” the brunette asks.

“I actually had a job interview. I think it went well so hopefully I get it and then I’ll be back for good.”

“Good for you,” her voice is laced with sarcasm. “So why exactly are you here? Ollie doesn’t live here anymore.”

Felicity’s mouth falls open at that, “He doesn’t?” Of course he doesn’t, he’s 25 years old and the CEO of a multibillion dollar company. Of course he doesn’t live in his mother's house anymore. Brain finally digesting that tidbit of new information, she shakes her head. “Uh, that’s not why I’m here. I actually came to see you. I wanted to apologize.”

Noting that the older woman’s tone appears completely genuine, Thea’s entire demeanor changes, dropping her defensive stance and shifting on her feet. “For what?”

Felicity sets down her bag on the armchair and takes a step towards Thea. “I’m sorry that I dropped out of your life. Thea, things with Oliver didn’t work out and I obviously didn’t handle things well. My relationship ending was no excuse for me disappearing and not calling you anymore. Losing touch with you has been one of my biggest regrets. I love you Thea and I’ve always liked to pretend that you were the little sister I never had. I’m sorry that I ever made you doubt that. I just hope that you can find it in your heart to give me a second chance because I’d really love to get to know the young woman that you’ve become.” Felicity lifts her hand, running it through the younger girl’s hair lightly.

Thea looks up at the blonde -- the girl that she’s spent five years missing, wondering what she did wrong to make her leave. She blinks back tears before throwing her arms around the older girl’s neck, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I missed you, Lissy.”

“I missed you too, Speedy,” Felicity whispers back, closing her eyes and pulling her in tighter. After a few minutes, the girls finally pull away, laughter bubbling past their lips as they wipe the tears away from their cheeks. “Okay, enough of this sob fest. Tell me about you, tell me about your life. I want to know everything!”

Thea laughs, “Okay. Do you want to make smoothies and put them in martini glasses like we used to when I was younger?”

A wide, genuine smile tugs up the corners of Felicity’s mouth as she squeezes her hand, “That sounds amazing.”

Smiling back at the older woman, Thea walks backwards towards the kitchen, pulling Felicity with her. “So I guess I should start with this guy that I like. His name’s Roy.”

 

* * *

 

After an excruciatingly long day at work, Oliver rides up the elevator to his penthouse loft, rubbing his hands over his face and loosening his tie. His conversation with Tommy has been playing like a song on repeat in his head all day, his best friend’s words about his inability to say Felicity’s name sticking with him especially. It wasn’t untrue, but the implication that it meant he was still in love with her is completely ridiculous. Especially coming from Tommy.  _Traitor_. Oliver still can’t believe that Tommy has been talking to her,  _visiting_  her, for years and didn’t even tell him. Even after everything he saw, everything he witnessed being beside Oliver when things got dark for him. Tommy was there the entire time, seeing how bad Oliver got and he continued to be friends with her, almost like he was taking her side in everything. Oliver can’t even remember how many times Tommy stopped him from drunkenly calling her or jumping on his private jet to go see her. Did Felicity ask Tommy to stop his calls? Did she tell Tommy that she didn't want to see him?

Pulling his keys from his pocket, he sighs, unlocking the door and making a beeline straight to his bedroom, not noticing the smell of food coming from his kitchen. He takes off his jacket, toeing off his shoes and untucking his dress shirt from his pants. Opening the middle drawer of his dresser to pull out a pair of sweats, he stops suddenly. Taking a deep breath, he makes a decision and opens up the top drawer containing his socks, shuffling them around until he feels the all too familiar soft felt in the back-right corner. Wrapping his fingers around it, he pulls out the square box, twisting it around experimentally in his hands. Oliver leans forward on the top of the dresser, examining the box before flipping open the top. Inhaling a sharp breath through his nose, he looks at the ring that he’s long-since memorized every little detail of, the diamond glinting in the dull light that his room offers.

Hearing shuffling behind him, he quickly but casually closes and secures the tiny box back into its hiding place, closing the drawer as he turns his head. He smiles at the woman standing in the doorway, “Hey, I didn’t even realize you were here.”

“I used the key under the mat. I know you’ve been stressed at work lately and I wanted to make you dinner.”

Oliver sighs, an easy smile on his face as he moves towards his girlfriend, wrapping his arms around her waist. ”You didn't have to do that, McKenna.”

“I know. But I wanted to,” McKenna Hall smiles up at him, hands gripping his biceps and pulling him down to place a small peck on his lips. “Change your clothes and come to the kitchen. I made my famous mac and cheese.”

“You know my weaknesses,” Oliver laughs. McKenna winks at him before pulling out of his embrace and walking down the hall towards the open living space. He watches after her, smile fading slightly as he turns his head and stares a hole into his sock drawer, knowing what’s lying behind it. Oliver sighs and unbuttons his shirt, unable to explain the feeling in the pit of his stomach that everything is about to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	3. Think of All the Places We Could Be (I’ll Be Waiting on a Brand New Day)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**December 2010** _

_The lights flickered in a strobe-like manner making his head spin slightly, the music thumping loudly in his ears as he sat at the bar. They were currently at a club called Akhnaton, which Oliver still couldn’t pronounce, in Amsterdam. This was their last night before going to China for a week to see their family businesses in person and then returning home. Tommy had a close family friend that was spending Christmas in Poland, so the boys had joined his family before hopping on a jet on the 26th to where they are now for New Year’s. So far, the trip had been amazing; they’ve travelled to so many different cities in so many countries. But it hadn’t just been about partying; the culture in Europe was fascinating to Oliver, and he’d taken advantage of the many museums and other cultural spots. Tommy always pretended to be annoyed by all the places Oliver wanted to see, but he could tell that his best friend liked it just as much as he did._

_Knocking back the rest of his drink, he made his way back to where Tommy was dancing with a group of girls. Noticing his return, one of the girls that had taken a particular interest in Oliver moved towards him, a flirty smirk on her lips as she turned around. She plastered her back to his front and lifted her arms, winding them around his neck, grinding her hips into his groin. He danced with her for a little while, unable to stop his body’s reaction to her movements._

_Being away from home where his family was and away from Felicity had been hard, Felicity especially. He missed her; her smile, the sound of her laugh, the feel of her lips. Don’t even get him started on the sex. It’d been almost seven months since he’d actually had sex, the weeks before his trip where Felicity wouldn’t talk to him not helping to dissipate his needs. Don’t get him wrong, he and Felicity had talked on the phone sometimes before one of them went to bed, hell she’d even skyped him once -- that was a good day -- but it wasn’t the same. But that by far was not what he missed most about her. What he missed most was just being with her; her presence. He missed sitting around in his room, having a horror movie marathon just so that she could cuddle and hide into his side._

_This was wrong, it didn’t feel right; it didn’t feel the same as it did with Felicity. Making a decision that he should’ve made weeks ago, he pulled away from the raven-haired girl in front of him before telling Tommy that he was leaving. Oliver pushed his way through the crowd and out of the club, immediately inhaling the cool night air. Quickly finding their town car, he climbed in and instructed the driver, “Take me to the Amsterdam Heliport.”_

 

* * *

 

_Felicity walked towards her dorm building, swiping herself in, opening the door and smiling at the security guard. Entering the elevator, she took off her glasses and tucked them into her bag, sighing and rubbing her tired eyes. She'd been out late in the computer lab, which had been empty due to the fact it was a Saturday night and was semester break, working on the coding for a project she had to finish for Monday. Instead of going home, Felicity decided to take some extra classes during the break knowing her mom would be working a lot, but it wasn't completely boring because Barry just got back from spending Christmas back home with his dad, having to come back for a class that started on the 28th. And she did call Donna on the phone every night so they could light their menorah candles together, Felicity having a smaller version on her windowsill. Although Donna wasn’t Jewish, that was about one of the only things Felicity got from her dad, lighting a menorah with her daughter had become somewhat of a tradition. Her roommate Michelle went home to Seattle too, which she was infinitely happy about; she really did not like that girl._

_The elevator dinged, signaling that she'd arrived at her floor and she stepped out, unbuttoning her jacket. She rounded the corner, pulling her keys out of her bag and when she looked up, Felicity froze and nearly dropped her keys to the floor. "Oliver?"_

_Oliver glanced up from where his head was resting in his hands, his elbows on his knees. He grinned at her, sighing in relief at just the sight of her and standing quickly._

_Eyes wide with shock, she stammered, "What... Are you really here? Am I imagining things? Oh god. I've finally lost it."_

_He laughed as she walked towards him with skeptical eyes. "Felicity. I'm really here." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her impossibly close, leaning down with a small smile and bumping their noses together lightly before capturing her lips in a searing kiss that was six months in the making._

_Felicity kissed him back with everything she had, hands clinging to his shoulders like her life depended on it. After what felt like an hour but was really only a couple minutes, she pulled away from the kiss but not too far out of fear that if she let go of him he would disappear. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to headed to China?”_

_“I made a detour. China can wait until Monday; I couldn't go another second without seeing you.”_

_Felicity peered up at him under long lashes, her small smile turning into a smirk as she reached around him to unlock her door. She turned them around, reaching behind herself and twisting the key in the lock before backing them into her room. Oliver’s eyes darkened when her hands moved to the open front of his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him hungrily. She shed her own jacket, breaking the kiss only to pull each of their shirts over their heads and Felicity thanked her lucky stars that she had decided to wear a cute pink bra with lace accents. Reconnecting their lips, Oliver moved his hands down her back to her ass, squeezing lightly before curling around to the front of her jeans and popping open the button._

_Felicity moaned into his mouth, bouncing when they fell back onto her bed and for the first time in months, things finally felt right._

_The next morning, Oliver woke to a weight on top of him. He opened one eye experimentally, smiling when he locked eyes with Felicity. He let his eyes travel over her and took her in: face relaxed from the pure bliss of last night, blonde hair falling over her naked shoulders in light waves, a smirk pulling up the corners of her lips. She ran her hands up and down his chest, nails scraping his skin gently. His breath hitched when she rolled her hips, his cock twitching in between her bare legs. He ran his palms up her thighs, disappearing under the sheet that pooled around her waist exposing her naked chest and digging into her hips._

_“Good morning,” Felicity greeted, her voice low and she leaned forward to place a quick peck to his lips that barely lasted a second before straightening back up._

_He groaned, “You’re mean.”_

_“I love you,” she sing-songed and laughed before leaning back down, connecting their lips. She moaned into his mouth when his tongue slid between her lips, battling with her own and she arched her back, pushing her breasts against his chest. They were so lost in each other that neither of them heard the voice coming from outside._

_“Hey Felicity, can you take a look at my laptop? It keeps overheating and I can’t -- Whoa!” Barry yelped from where he stood in the doorway, hand flying to shield his eyes from the naked couple before him._

_Felicity abruptly pulled away from Oliver, who sat up on his elbows and craned his neck around his girlfriend, narrowing his eyes at the guy that walked into her room in a way-too-casual manner. She turned her head and covered her bare chest with her arms, cheeks hot and rapidly turning a bright shade of red. “Barry! What the hell?! Knock much?!”_

_Barry clambered for the door handle with only one hand, stuttering his words, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t know you had… company! I’m gonna wait outside.”_

_At the sound of the door slamming, she slumped forward, burying her head in Oliver’s chest. “Oh my god, I can’t believe that just happened.”_

_“Who the hell was that guy?” he tried to keep the jealousy out of his voice._

_“Barry. He’s like, my best friend here, and that was not how I wanted him to ever see me because that’s just awkward, and that definitely was not how I wanted him to meet you! Why do these things always happen to me?!” she groaned into his skin causing him to laugh, his little bout of jealousy completely forgotten. She pulled away and fixed him with a glare and a smack to his shoulder, “This isn’t funny Oliver!”_

_“It is a little bit. And just so you know, you would be a lot more intimidating if you weren’t completely naked on top of me,” he teased with a smirk._

_She narrowed her eyes in irritation before huffing, climbing off him and pulling on some leggings and a sweatshirt from her floor before passing Oliver his clothes. Once they were both properly dressed, Felicity opened her door, cheeks still flushed, to find Barry whirling around to face her._

_“Felicity! I am so sorry. I had no idea you’d have someone in your room. You said that you have a boyfriend who’s traveling! But I’m not judging! You can sleep with whoever you want, no judgement here --”_

_“-- Barry,” Felicity cut off his ramble, the most obvious thing that they had in common with each other. Oliver appeared behind her, and she sighed and moved her hand between the two, “This is Oliver, my boyfriend. Oliver, this is Barry.” he nodded in hello at Barry, casually slinging an arm around her shoulders._

_“Oh. Oh! Hi. Sorry again for, you know… barging in while you were… busy,” he offered lamely, still embarrassed. He couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the man in front of him who was clearly fully secure in himself and his relationship. Plus, he looked like he could snap Barry in half like a twig with his bare hands, so that was frightening._

_Oliver laughed and shrugged one shoulder, “It’s fine. Not a big deal.”_

_Felicity turned back to Barry, “What did you need me to look at?”_

_His eyes sparked in remembrance at the reason he came by in the first place, “Oh, yeah! My laptop. It keeps overheating and shutting down. I also wanted to invite you out to Jitters tonight with me and Iris.”_

_She grabbed the computer that he handed over and set it down on her desk next to the door. “Yeah, I’ll take a look at it,” she assured. She fixed him with an apologetic frown, “And thanks for the invitation, but I think since Oliver’s just here until tomorrow morning I’m gonna spend some time with him.”_

_“Actually,” Oliver interjected, “I think that’s a great idea.”_

_Eyebrows rising, she turned her head and looked up at him, “Really?”_

_He shrugged again and offered her a small smile, eyes shining with sincerity, “Yeah, I wanna get to know your friends.”_

_Felicity grinned up at him, grateful and just… happy. She then turned to Barry and nodded, “I guess we’ll meet you at Jitters.”_

_Later that night after spending the entire day with Felicity giving him a tour around campus, they were on their way to meet up with Barry and Iris. “So what exactly is this place we’re going to?” Oliver glanced around, taking in the scenery of downtown Cambridge. Everything around MIT looked so historic and old; he really liked it and could tell that Felicity did too just from the way her eyes lit up when she talked about it._

_“Jitters? It’s this cute little coffee shop that kinda turns into a student hangout spot at night. It’s actually where Barry and I hung out after we first met,” Felicity chuckled as she remembered that first meeting, swinging their clasped hands lightly while they walked. “I was actually walking through Killian Court on my way here a couple months ago in between classes and me being me, I bumped into Barry and made him spill his stuff everywhere. We were both apologizing and rambling and it was all a big mess, but we hit it off instantly. We came here for coffee and have been basically best friends ever since.”_

_As she went on talking about her classes and favorite places to frequent, Oliver stared at her profile, noticing her smile and how her face lit up making her look absolutely beautiful. But he couldn’t help the sudden feeling that he didn’t exactly fit into her life anymore; he didn’t understand what she was talking about with her projects and felt like she just had this whole new life that didn't include him. Her voice calling his name brought him out of his negative thoughts._

_“What?” his eyes focused back on her and he furrowed his brows lightly, completely missing what she had just said._

_“You okay? I said we’re here,” she motioned towards the building a few feet in front of them._

_“Right,” he smiled, trying not to appear too distracted. “Quick question: who’s this Iris girl? Barry’s girlfriend?”_

_Felicity laughed, “He wishes. They’ve been best friends since they were kids, and he’s been in love with Iris for basically his entire life. She doesn’t know though, so don’t say anything.”_

_Oliver considered her words carefully, “Sooo, they’re basically us.”_

_“Yes! That’s why I told him that he should tell her how he feels because it’ll only make things better, even if she doesn't feel the same. At least he can try to move on then,” she explained, eyes falling on the table in the corner where the pair of best friends sat and waving at them before tugging on his hand, leading him towards them. “By the way, she’s a journalism major at Boston University,” she whispered and Oliver nodded before adopting his most charming smile._

_A very beautiful girl with dark skin, obviously Iris, smiled at the couple and stood, offering her hand, “Wow, you must be Oliver Queen.”_

 

* * *

 

_Felicity stood on the heliport, face buried in Oliver’s shoulder and her arms wrapped around his waist. She finally pulled away after standing like that for almost thirty minutes and attacked his lips with hers. His hands cradled her face, thumbs rubbing back and forth over her cheekbones in a soothing manner. He pulled away, resting his forehead against hers._

_Felicity took a deep breath but was unable to hide the shakiness in the whisper that was supposed to be her voice. “Oliver, I am so happy that you came here to see me. But I almost wish you hadn’t.”_

_“Why?” he asked, voice just as soft as hers._

_She gazed up at him, blue meeting blue and a tear leaked down her cheek. “Because I hate having to say goodbye to you again.”_

_Touched by the sincerity in her words, Oliver leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to her lips. “Then like I said at the docks… Let’s not say goodbye this time.” Giving her one last kiss, he backed away and turned his back to her. Felicity watched him climb into the helicopter and returned his wave. And she stood there, watching the helicopter fly away until it faded from view._

 

* * *

 

**October 2017**

Oliver walks out of the executive elevator, reading an email from Jill in accounting on his phone but not really comprehending it. He has been incredibly distracted from everything ever since Felicity came back, unable to get her out of his head for the last two weeks. And it absolutely has nothing to do with him still having feelings for her,  _because he doesn’t_ _,_ it’s just because knowing she’s back in Starling is annoying to him. It also has impacted his other relationships; he hasn’t found the courage to go see Tommy and apologize for getting so angry when he found out that he’s been visiting her all this time, and things have also been off with McKenna. They’ve been dating for almost eight months and he cares about her a lot, maybe even loves her. After everything happened with Felicity, he fell into a pretty dark place of partying and drinking and sleeping around, he almost dropped out of school. But when the date of Robert’s birthday came around, he took a hard look at his life and what it’d become, and he didn't like what he saw; his father wouldn’t either. So, he pulled himself together, graduated college, got his MBA and met McKenna, who had just become a police officer at the time. She was beautiful and smart and funny, and they’d hit it off instantly, going on date after date.

Ever since his conversation with Felicity at Tommy and Laurel’s engagement party, he’d been acting weird and McKenna noticed. She’s asked him multiple times if anything was bothering him but he’s lied, not being able to find the courage to tell her about Felicity. McKenna could sense early on in their relationship that he’d been hurt in the past, so he told her all about Felicity, what she was like and what their relationship was like, even the fact that she’d broken his heart. Deep down she always felt that he wasn’t really over the beautiful blonde that held his heart for the majority of his life and secretly felt threatened by her, even though she lived on the other side of the country. But now she is back and she is here and he just doesn’t know how to tell his girlfriend; part of him, deep down, refuses to acknowledge how this entire situation looks: like he hasn’t told McKenna because he knows that her worries will be validated, that he still has feelings for his one-time best friend. But he doesn’t.

Nearing his office, Oliver glances up from his phone and offers his secretary a bright smile in greeting, “Gretchen.”

The woman lifts her head, smiling apologetically at her boss. “Mr. Queen, your eleven o’clock is waiting in your office.”

Dropping his smile, he turns his head towards his office to see a blonde woman standing near the floor to ceiling windows, her back to him. He looks back at Gretchen, “Why isn’t she waiting out here? You know I don’t like people in my office when I’m not here.”

“I know, but she insisted.”

Oliver nods and mutters a ‘thanks’ before turning on his heels and making his way to the glass door. He opens it and takes a few steps in the room before stopping in his tracks when the woman turns to face him, a small smile on her face. “What are you doing here?”

Felicity glances around impressed, running her fingers softly over the fabric on the back of the couch, “It looks nice in here, different than what I remember. I like it; it suits you.”

He sighs and walks towards his desk, every muscle in his body tense in her presence. “You shouldn’t have made an appointment just to try to get me to talk to you. I have work to do.”

“C’mon Oliver,” she tilts her head and moves closer to where he stands in front of his desk. “I’m not trying to manipulate you; you know me better than that.”

Oliver releases a laugh, though it lacks humor because looking at her, all he feels is pain. “Do I?”

“You know what? I didn't come here to be insulted, I came here to discuss business.”

Narrowing his eyes, he fixes her with a doubtful expression, “Business?”

“Yes. The reason I moved here was for a job at a security company: Flash-IT, to be exact. Turns out that Queen Consolidated is one of their biggest clients and they’ve assigned me as the consultant. I just came by to let you know.”

He runs his hands over his face in irritation, “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Look, I know that me being here is probably your worst nightmare, but it’s not exactly fun for me either to be around someone I care about who hates me. I swear I didn’t know that this company had any affiliation with QC but it does, so I guess we’ll just have to deal with it like professionals.”

Oliver gapes at her before taking a deep breath, readying himself to speak when his phone beeps and he breaks eye contact with Felicity, pushing the talk-back button. “What?” he grits out between clenched teeth.

“I’m sorry to bother your… business meeting, but Miss Hall is here for lunch,” Gretchen informs him -- their conversation obviously hasn’t been as quiet as he thought -- before disconnecting the line. His shoulders tense even more, which he didn’t think was even possible.  _This should be fun._

“Hey, sweetie, if this is a bad time I can come back. I don’t want to interrupt anything,” McKenna’s voice reaches his ears as she stands halfway through the doorway. Oliver blinks, eyes moving between his current and ex-girlfriend, finding himself at a loss for words.

Felicity glances at the other woman and then back at him, “Sweetie?”

McKenna enters the room fully, narrowing her eyes at Felicity and tilting her head, “Wow, you look really familiar. Do I know you?”

He gulps, finally finding his voice, though it is not as strong as he’d hoped it would be. “Uh McKenna,” he looks between the two women who are staring at him and tries not to shrink under the weight of their eyes, “This is Felicity. Felicity, this is McKenna. My girlfriend.”

Felicity and McKenna whip their heads at each other, and he’s relieved not to be under their scrutiny anymore but fears for their interaction when all they do is both release a simultaneous “Oh”.  _This should be fun._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	4. High Hopes When It All Comes to an End (But the World Keeps Spinning Around)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**June 2011** _

_Thea stood in the doorway to the kitchen, hiding half her body behind the wall. She watched Oliver, who sat on a stool at the island working on something for a class he was taking that summer at SCU. She thought that she was being sneaky but apparently not, as evidenced by his voice cutting through the air without turning around, “Speedy, stop staring at me.”_

_The little girl frowned and came out from her hiding place, walking towards him and propping herself on the stool across from him. “I wasn’t staring.”_

_“Yes, you were. So just tell me what you want, I’m trying to do this,” he sighed and continued copying notes from his poli-sci textbook into his notebook._

_Thea leaned forward, supporting her chin in her hands and swinging her legs back and forth. “Will you play outside with me?”_

_Oliver finally glanced up at her, taking in her pushed-out bottom lip and puppy dog eyes. He sighed and closed his book, unable to resist his baby sister. Leaning forward, he mimicked her pose, “And what exactly would you like to play, Speedy?”_

_Her pout turned into a sly grin, mischief in her eyes as she jumped off her stool and slapped him on the arm. “You’re it! You’ll never catch me, Ollie!”_

_He laughed as she bolted through the house and out the front door, but a part of him feared that he wouldn’t -- he called her Speedy for a reason. He stood up, jogging after her. He chased her all over the front yard until finally catching her, not trying as hard as he could have to make her feel good about herself. Coming up behind her, Oliver wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her high into the air, twirling her around as her giggles echoed through their yard. Thea’s laughs only increased when he started to tickle her ribs while still spinning her in circles._

_The Queen siblings turned around, Thea still in his arms being carried in a half bridal type of way, when they heard wheels crunching over the gravel on their driveway. The taxi came to a stop and the driver stepped out to empty the bags from the trunk before the back door opened, a familiar blonde climbing out._

_Thea wriggled in his hold until he placed her back on her feet, and she darted away from him with the biggest smile on her face. “Lissyyy!”_

_Smiling, Felicity bent down and opened her arms wide, wrapping them around the younger Queen when she collided into her._

_Oliver made his way over to his two favorite girls, one of which he hadn’t seen for five months. Thea pulled away finally and Felicity stood, getting rid of the distance by jogging towards him, jumping into his arms and plastering her lips to his. He kissed her back with just as much force, the sound of his sister’s “ewww” faintly reaching his ears. When she moved away, she remained suspended in his arms and smiled brightly at him. “It is so good to be home.”_

 

* * *

 

**October 2017**

Felicity knew that coming to Queen Consolidated to see Oliver probably wasn’t the best idea, but she wasn’t lying when she told him it was because of her new job; she honestly had no idea it was connected in any way to his company. Although technically, when her boss asked for someone to be the new QC consultant, she did volunteer. But Oliver didn't need to know that. It’s just that seeing him again, being near him again, has affected her more than she’d like to admit. Yes, she knew she missed him; yes, she knew leaving him was the biggest mistake of her life; yes, she knew she still loved him; but what she didn’t know was how deep she was still in. Standing here in his office, staring into his incredibly mesmerizing blue eyes that used to see into her soul, it’s like she is drowning. And no matter how hard she tries, she can’t swim to the surface.

Oliver visibly gulps and she can’t help but dread the words about to come out of his mouth, like she already knows what he’s going to say before he even says it. She can hear her heart pounding in her head as the next words reach her ears, his voice steady but not as strong as it was a few minutes ago.

“Uh, McKenna,” he looks between the two women who are staring at him, “This is Felicity. Felicity, this is McKenna. My girlfriend.”

Felicity whips her head towards McKenna to find the woman already turned to her, a look of recognition across her face as she seemingly connects her name to her face. She can barely think, barely talk, the only word coming to mind being a barely audible, “Oh.” Shaking her head slightly, she pulls herself back to the moment and forces a smile at the woman, “It’s nice to meet you.”

McKenna quickly recovers as well, smiling a little too wide to be completely sincere. “You too. I’ve heard so much about you, I feel like I already know you.”

“I wish I could say the same,” Felicity laughs in an effort to lighten the tension surrounding them. She shifts uncomfortably under McKenna’s curious stare, feeling like she’s being studied. She hates that feeling.

She notices the blonde’s uncomfortableness and shakes her head with a chuckle, “Sorry, you’re just really beautiful in person. I’ve only seen some pictures from like, a million years ago.”

Felicity blinks, not expecting the genuine compliment, “Oh. Thank you, you’re very pretty yourself.” She hears some sort of soft choking sound and turns to see Oliver, his eyes fixed on the ceiling and she can’t help wonder where his thoughts have wandered and why he’s so quiet; he sure seemed to have a lot to say earlier.

“So, Felicity. How long are you in town for?” McKenna asks, obviously fishing for information about how long her boyfriend’s complicated ex will be hanging around.

“Actually, I moved back here. I was just telling Oliver that we’ll be working together because of my new job.”

“Wow. That’s… so great!” She smiles widely and Felicity can see through the brunette’s fake enthusiasm easily. But hey, at least she’s trying, right? This exchange could be going a lot worse and with her luck, she’s surprised she hasn’t been physically or verbally attacked yet.

“Yeah, isn’t it? Well, I don’t want to stand in the way of your plans so,” Felicity turns to Oliver, who has remained oddly silent and stoic during this entire encounter, “I left my card on your desk. We should discuss the new systems I plan on putting in place.”

He clears his throat before speaking for the first time since introducing them, “Of course.”

She tightens her hold on the strap of her bag hanging on her shoulder, “It was really nice to meet you, McKenna. Have a good rest of your day.” Felicity offers the woman dating the love of her life a friendly smile, not sparing another glance at Oliver before she leaves his office, unconsciously adding an extra sway to her hips as she goes. Once she’s around the corner and out of their view, she quickens her pace, pushing the elevator button several times in hopes that it will make it appear faster. She has to get out of here; he can’t see her cry.

Once the elevator dings, Felicity hurries inside and immediately clicks the ‘door close’ button. When they do finally close, she backs against the wall, hands gripping the railing behind her until her knuckles turn white before letting the tears fall silently down her cheeks.

 

* * *

 

Oliver stares at Felicity, unable to stop his eyes from trailing down her body, watching her hips sway as she walks away. Realizing what he’s doing, which he tells himself is more out of habit than anything else, he averts his eyes to anywhere else in the room. It’s bad enough that he is still obviously attracted to Felicity’s captivating beauty, but his girlfriend, who is also very beautiful, is literally standing five feet away from him.

The exchange he just witnessed had been extremely uncomfortable, and he was too frozen to do a single thing about it. He could detect the fakeness in their words and their smiles easily but couldn’t intervene; he just stood there. It was like one of those huge, fiery car crashes that you know is horrible and tragic but you just can't look away as you watch it burn. That is actually a pretty good metaphor for his life when he thinks about it.

McKenna takes a step closer to him, her irritated voice pulling him from his weird thoughts, “You didn't tell me she was back. Why?”

He opens his mouth but closes it quickly, realizing that he doesn't exactly have an answer for her, because he doesn't really know why he kept it from her as long as he did. “I… didn't want to upset you?” It comes out as a question rather than a statement.

She scoffs and folds her arms across her chest, “You know what upsets me? Walking into my boyfriend’s office expecting to go out for a nice lunch together only to find him in what looks to be a heated conversation with his gorgeous ex-girlfriend that just moved back into town.”

“McKenna,” he says her name in a sigh, dragging a hand across his face.

“Do you still have feelings for her?”

Oliver whips his head up at her and actually growls in frustration, “No. Why does everyone keep asking me that?!”

“Because no one would blame you if you did! You lied about her being back in town. She’s smart and beautiful, and you guys have a long history together and --“

“-- McKenna!” he cuts her off, erasing the distance between them and grabbing both her hands in his. “First of all, I didn't lie, I just… I didn’t know how to handle it myself so I wasn’t sure how you would. And second, I’m not going to stand here and lie to you and tell you that I didn’t love her. Because I did. A lot. I’ll always care about her, she’s one of my oldest friends and I was in love with her for more than half of my life. But our relationship ended a long time ago. Felicity is a part of my past. A very large part, but a part nonetheless. But you’re…” Oliver takes a deep breath, “You’re my future, okay?”

McKenna smiles up at him, “Okay.” She leans up and kisses him before wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug. Oliver hugs her back, thinking over his words that were said with such conviction. He just wishes he knew who he was trying to convince more: McKenna or himself.

 

* * *

 

Stepping out of his town car, Oliver makes his way into Verdant, mentally preparing himself for the much-needed conversation he has to have with his best friend. After he reassured McKenna of their relationship, they went out to their lunch and had a nice time despite the events from earlier. But Oliver wasn’t really present during any of their conversations, because he kept thinking about his words over and over again.

Opening the door, he walks into the club, nodding in hello at Tim, the head of security. He makes his way to the bar, immediately spotting Tommy and offering a charming smile. The other man notices, throwing him an unimpressed glance before going back to sighing something on his clipboard. Oliver sighs before shortening the remaining distance between them. “Hey man.”

“Hey,” Tommy doesn’t look up from what he’s doing.

“Tommy, I’m sorry. You were just trying to be honest with me and I reacted badly. I let my anger be directed at you when you didn't deserve it,” Oliver apologizes, tone sincere and almost pleading.

His best friend lifts his head, noticing his expression and softening his own before putting down his clipboard and clapping him on the shoulder. “It’s okay, Ollie. Besides, it wasn’t entirely unjustified. I never should’ve kept it from you.”

“So we’re good?”

Tommy chuckles, “We’re good.”

“Good. Because something just happened and I need to talk to my best friend about it.”

He brows draw together in concern, “Sure, man. Sit down.” Leading him towards the other end of the bar, Tommy pulls out two stools and they both sit.

Oliver clears his throat to ready himself to retell today’s events, “Felicity came to my office today. Apparently, she got a new job at some company that QC hires and she is our new consultant.”

He makes a face, “That’s gotta be awkward.”

“Oh, it gets worse. McKenna came to pick me up to go to lunch. While Felicity was still there.”

His eyes widen almost comically, “Oh shit. Was there a girl fight? If someone got bitch slapped and you didn't call me, you are no longer my best man!”

“No one got bitch slapped Tommy,” the taller man laughs disbelievingly at his friend, “They were… nice. They were like, smiling really big and telling each other how pretty they are and it was weird. But their friendliness was so obviously passive aggressive, so I don’t really see the point in it.”

“Dude, they’re women. I still don’t understand them and I’m getting married in two months.”

“Anyway, after Felicity left, McKenna accused me of still having feelings for her -- which she was the third person to do so, so that was annoying -- but I think I reassured her that I don’t. And then we went to lunch and she acted like nothing happened. I just don’t know how I’m gonna work with Felicity when I can’t even be alone with her for five minutes without getting angry. But then I feel guilty for getting angry because she’s _Felicity.”_

Taking in and fully comprehending his words, an idea sparks in Tommy’s head and he tries to suppress his smile. “Hey, why don’t you come out to dinner with me and Laurel at Table Salt tonight? It’ll help you get your mind off things.”

Oliver considers his offer and nods in agreement, “You know what? That sounds like exactly what I need.”

 

* * *

 

Felicity shovels another spoonful of mint chocolate chip ice cream into her mouth as she watches Elle Woods win the big case at the end of _Legally_ _Blonde._ She’s been like this ever since she got back to Sara and Nyssa’s -- the lease on her new townhouse isn’t finalized for a few more days -- which was right after she left QC. Deep down, she knows that she shouldn’t be reacting like this; everything that’s happened is her fault and obviously, Oliver has moved on over the years, so had she. But it was different, meeting her and seeing her with him and hearing her call him sweetie and be referred to as his ‘girlfriend’. It caused an ache deep in her chest, and she just couldn’t stop crying.

Keys rattle in the door handle and a few seconds later, Sara and Nyssa walk through the door, both still in their workout clothes. The couple owns a gym where they’re both personal trainers and teach free self-defense classes to anyone who wants to learn to defend themselves in The Glades.

Sara offers a smile as she puts down her bag, “Hey girl, what are you watching?” Upon noticing the tissues and ice cream, her expression morphs into one of concern as she hurries over to sit beside the other blonde on the couch, “Honey, what happened?”

Felicity puts her bowl on the coffee table and turns to her friend, “Sara, why didn’t you just tell me?”

Now she looks at her friend in confusion and Nyssa moves to sit on her other side in comfort, “Tell you what?”

“About Oliver. And McKenna.”

Sara and Nyssa exchange a panicked look behind her back as they try to think of something to say.

“Am I the only one who didn’t know? God, I feel like such an idiot. I don’t even know why I’m crying right now,” she buries her face in her hands.

Nyssa moves her hand to rub soothing circles over her back, “Felicity, what happened?” She sits up straight and takes a deep breath, telling her friends what happened. When she finally finishes and calms down enough, Nyssa stands up, “I’ll go make you some tea.”

Sara wraps her arm around the other girl and pulls her close to rest her head on her shoulder, “Honey, I’m sorry. I should’ve told you about McKenna. I just didn't want to hurt you.”

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault. I mean really, it’s my own fault. I’m just being dumb; I knew that he didn’t exactly stay celibate for five years. But…”

“But it was different when you saw it for real,” Sara concludes.

“Yeah. But it’ll be okay. I’m gonna be okay. I just… I need to move on for real. I need to accept that we’ll never be together again and work on trying get our friendship back,” Felicity tries really hard to sound confident but she’s not sure she succeeds. Suddenly her phone rings and she grabs it off the table, glancing at the caller ID. “It’s Tommy,” she informs Sara, who nods and gets up to help Nyssa in the kitchen, and answers the phone, “Hello?”

_“Hey, Lis. What are you doing tonight?”_

 

* * *

 

Oliver walks into Table Salt with McKenna in tow, looking forward to having a nice dinner with his friends. He approaches the front podium, getting the attention of the hostess, “Excuse me, is the Merlyn party here?”

She looks up, smiling flirtatiously as soon as she recognizes him as Oliver Queen. “Yes, right this way.” The young girl, Carli according to her name tag, grabs two menus and maneuvers her way through the crowded restaurant where he can see Tommy and half of Laurel. When McKenna moves out from behind him, Oliver can’t help but notice the smile fall from Tommy’s face and once they get closer to the table and another party moves to exit the restaurant, he sees why.

He feels McKenna tense beside him and she leans in to whisper to him, “What is she doing here?”

He’s speechless, panicking on the inside but trying not to let it show. “I don’t know. I didn't know she’d be here, I swear.”

They reach the table, Carli placing down their menus before making her way back to her post at the front of the restaurant. Tommy stands up with a nervous smile, “Ollie. McKenna. Glad you guys could make it.”

Oliver shoots a glare his way before turning his head, eyes meeting Felicity’s and by the apologetic look he finds, it’s obvious that she didn't know he was coming either. This day just keeps getting better and better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	5. But If You Lie to Me Again (I'll Be the One That Walks Away)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**November 2011** _

_Standing in the middle of the station, Felicity waited for the train from Starling to arrive, bouncing with excited for this weekend. Lately, she’d been so busy with school that she felt like she spent more time in the computer lab than at her actual apartment that she shared with Barry. But with Thanksgiving coming up, her workload had dissipated enough where she now has one weekend that she can afford to take off completely. And when it’s actually Thanksgiving, her mom would visit from her new home in Atlanta -- she met a man, a man who was actually kind and genuine, at her job while he was in town for business and instantly hit it off, so she recently relocated to be with him -- so that they could spend some time together, and Felicity could get to know her probable future step-father._

_“Felicity!”_

_The blonde looked up, a grin instantly crossing her face before she took off, running to her friend and wrapping her arms around her neck. “Cait!”_

_Caitlin squeezed back, smiling so wide that it hurt her cheeks. “I missed you so much!” When the two girls finally separated from each other, she noticed the flowers in her best friend’s hands. “What’s this?”_

_Felicity glanced down before all but shoving the bouquet at her, “A present! I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever so… Welcome to Massachusetts!”_

_A few hours later, after going to lunch at Jitters and to the local store to buy some DVDs and snacks, the girls got back to Felicity and Barry’s apartment, just in time for Caitlin to be introduced to him before he left to meet Iris. They sat on the couch,_ She’s the Man _playing in the background as they just talked, catching up on each other’s lives._

_“So Ronnie and I are living together in New York, and it’s been really great. Pre-med is definitely hard, but I love it. I just wish I saw you more often.” Caitlin explained, a dopey grin on her face as she spoke about Ronnie. Noticing that her friend’s smile seemed a bit forced, she narrowed her eyes, “What’s going on with you?”_

_“Nothing. Nothing! I’m happy for you, I really am.” she stressed, eyes wide and hands gesturing wildly in true Felicity fashion._

_“But?”_

_The blonde sighed, “But… Hearing about you and Ronnie just makes me miss Oliver.”_

_She frowned, reaching forward and clasping her friend’s hands tightly. “Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry.”_

_“Don’t be sorry for being happy, Cait. I just… I miss him so much. Going from spending every day together this summer to not seeing him, hardly even talking to him, for almost three months? It sucks. He’s busy with his classes and just started interning at the company to learn more about it. And I’m super busy because I’m taking more classes for the credits, and I work in the mailroom at that tech company part time to pay for this apartment and it’s just… I feel like we’re drifting apart, and I don’t know how to stop it.” By the end of her rant, her eyes were filled to the brim with unshed tears._

_Caitlin’s frown deepened and she hurriedly wrapped her friend up in a hug, rubbing soothing circles over the top of her back to calm her down as she whispered reassurances --_ It’s gonna be okay; You and Oliver are gonna be fine; He loves you; Everything will work out in the end.

_After a few minutes, the movie playing on the tv and the extra buttery popcorn completely forgotten, Felicity pulled away and sniffled, still managing to offer her friend a small smile of thanks. “I really hope you're right, Cait. Thank you for trying to calm my mini freak out,” a small laugh bubbled past her lips and she faced the television, “Let’s watch some shirtless Channing Tatum. It’s sure to cheer me up.”_

_She laughed and angled her body to see the tv better, scooting closer to Felicity so the girl could rest her head on her shoulder, her arm wrapping around her and continuing to rub soothingly up and down the top of the blonde’s arm. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”_

 

* * *

 

**October 2017**

Oliver lifts his hand in the air, flagging down the waiter because if he is going to stay at this table, he is going to need something strong. The middle-aged man finally reaches the table and offers, “Yes, sir? Are you all ready to order?”

“Scotch. Neat. Keep ‘em coming,” Oliver instructs. He faces forward again to find four eyes locked on him, and he looks between all their faces before shrugging. “If you think you can get through this without alcohol, be my guest.”

Felicity sucks in a sharp breath before addressing the waiter, “A glass of your house red please.” He silently curses himself because he can’t help but smile internally at her obsession with red wine while the rest of the group order their drinks -- all alcoholic because this is already uncomfortable and it’s only been five minutes -- and the waiter heads towards the bar.

The group falls quiet once more until Laurel decides to break the silence. “Uh, Felicity, how’s your new job going so far? It’s at some tech company, right?”

The blonde clears her throat, “Yes, it’s a cyber security firm. They design different programs for things like cyber threat management and encryption programs for big companies,” she gestures a hand towards Oliver, “Queen Consolidated is actually one of their biggest clients and I’m the new consultant for them.”

Laurel’s eyes widen a little and she grins, “Wow, so you and Ollie will be working together?”

Oliver stares at Felicity, hard eyes studying her face. He takes in her features; she still looks the same as the day he walked away from her at the docks yet she looks older, more mature, while still looking young. The same dyed blonde hair is shiny and smooth, a few inches shorter than what he’s used to, but he can’t help but wonder how the new length would feel slipping through his fingers. Her eyes, now seemingly always wearing contacts, are still the same blue they’ve always been, the light color fading into a blue-green and even some brown as it nears her pupils; he’s stared into her eyes too many times -- back when they were merely best friends and he would get lost in her laugh; while they were having meaningful conversations; while they were making love -- to ever forget the pattern of colors. Her lips that he knows for a fact are soft and plump are colored a shade of purple, enticing and inviting and he hates it. He hates everything about her. And he hates himself, because he doesn’t actually hate her at all.

He is pulled from his silent admirations when she chances a glance at him. He can see her visibly gulp before speaking, “Yeah.” The waiter returns with their drinks, and they all simultaneously take large, long sips to keep their mouths busy with something other than talking. After reading over the menu, everyone orders and the table falls mute once again.

 

* * *

 

Felicity moves her fork around her plate, eyes focusing on her vegetable ravioli in an effort to look anywhere but at the people sitting at her table.  _I am going to murder Tommy._  She can’t believe that he did this, asking her to dinner with him and Laurel while conveniently leaving out the part where he also invited Oliver. And McKenna, who is obviously furious that Felicity is here, though she is trying to hide it. If Felicity had known they’d be here, she never would’ve come because she is not in the mood to be berated tonight, and if she ever wants to have some sort of friendship with Oliver again, she certainly can’t rush him into spending time with her outside of the work setting.

In a desperate attempt to break the extremely uncomfortable silence, during which everyone had consumed a hefty amount of alcohol, Felicity lifts her chin and angles her body towards Laurel. “So, how’s the wedding planning going?”

The brunette smiles, grateful for the start of a conversation and out of pure happiness at the thought of her impending nuptials. “Really great, actually. I’m glad you brought it up, because I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this since you got back but never found the right time. Felicity, I can honestly tell you that I didn't like you when we were growing up for petty reasons, like I was jealous and because I just didn’t think I could beat you up.” The rest of the table looks at them with confusion when both girls laugh as they recall their inside joke from a drunken conversation that took place a few years ago, “But over the years since high school, you’ve become one of my closest friends. So… Felicity... Will you be my maid of honor?”

Felicity is speechless until she smiles and wraps her arms around the other woman, “Oh my god Laurel, of course I will! But what about Sara?”

“Well I actually had an idea to have both of you do it, but Sara insisted that she’s happy just being a bridesmaid with Nyssa, which is just as important to me. You three have all really been there for me in the last couple years, and we’re all such good friends so… You’ll do it?”

“Laurel, I would be honored.” Felicity hugs her one more time before turning to Tommy, her anger at him momentarily forgotten during the excitement, “Did you know about this?”

He leans back in his chair and grins, hand playing with his glass of whiskey, “Yup. Laurel didn't think I could keep the secret, but I knew it would be worth it to see the look on your face when she asked you.”

She smiles softly at him, but it quickly fades when she notices Oliver silently glaring down at his plate, obviously annoyed that she’ll be the maid of honor to his best man.

McKenna couldn’t keep her distaste quite as silent, probably due to the three glasses of wine she’s consumed, when she mutters something the other women can’t quite make out.

“What was that?” Laurel asks.

She looks up, swallowing her piece of chicken and placing her fork back on the table. “Nothing I just… I find it interesting that you want your maid of honor to be someone who seriously dated the man you're marrying.”

Tommy, Laurel and Felicity all shift their gazes between each other before laughing lightly, Tommy being the one to speak up, “Felicity and I dated practically a lifetime ago. Plus, I wouldn’t exactly classify it as serious considering she wanted Ollie like, the entire time.” Everyone at the table freezes, his laughter dissipating into an awkward cough once he realizes what he said.

The group is tense and quiet until McKenna breaks into a fit of giggles, Tommy’s words clearly having been her breaking point. “Isn’t it hilarious to you guys that you’ve all basically had sex with each other? Because I just think that’s pretty freaking hilarious. And I guess essentially, I have too now.” She fixes an almost triumphant look at Felicity, obviously not trying to hide her dislike for her anymore.

The blonde straightens her shoulders, not cowering away from McKenna’s gaze. “Theoretically, I guess. But not technically.”

“Well basically. I mean, you slept with Tommy while Laurel was sleeping with Oliver. Then when you dumped Tommy  _for_  Oliver, you slept with him. And now Laurel’s sleeping with Tommy and I’m sleeping with Oliver. So,  _theoretically_ , you’ve slept with everyone.”

“McKenna, stop.” Oliver rubs a hand over his face, already so done with this dinner and this stupid argument masked as friendly conversation. Tommy’s mouth opens and closes multiple times, not knowing what to say, and Laurel shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

Felicity leans forward and rests her forearms on the table, not backing down from her basically calling her a slut, probably out of her own insecurities and tipsy-ness. “Does that make us friends or something? Should we all braid each other’s hair and compare notes now?”

McKenna clenches her jaw and leans forward, “Yeah. Then we can compare notes on how we all break hearts. But wait, you’re the only one that’s done that, right?”

She freezes, losing her unaffected façade as her entire body tenses, feeling warm all over and not just from the wine. She can't even respond to that because it’s true; she did break Oliver’s heart. Feeling her eyes begin to water, Felicity clears her throat and glances down, grabbing her napkin from her lap and placing it on the table. “Tommy, Laurel, thank you for dinner, but I think I’m gonna head home. Laur, I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll talk about the wedding.” She stands, pushing in her chair and weaving through the other tables and chairs. She finally gets outside, digging through her clutch for her ticket stub and handing it over to the young man at the valet stand. Shivering, Felicity stands at the edge of the sidewalk as the cool night air blows against her bare legs, staring down the street praying her car gets here soon so she can get the hell out of this place.

 

* * *

 

To say this dinner was brutal would be an understatement. That argument was completely unnecessary and petty on both women's behalves. Neither of them put a stop to it when they could’ve out of some innate need to best each other on his account, he assumes; or because they had too much to drink, though Felicity didn’t seem drunk. Oliver turns his glare on McKenna, who’s wearing an expression of shame for how she behaved; she’s not that person, the mean girl that lets her own insecurities get the best of her. He noticed right away the tell-tale signs that Felicity was about to cry and feels guilty about it -- even though he is still mad at her, she didn’t deserve this kind of public humiliation.

Oliver sighs before pushing his seat back and hurrying out of the restaurant, hopefully not missing Felicity. He finds her standing by the curb, presumably waiting for her car. “Felicity.”

She glances over her shoulder, face adopting a look of exasperation upon realizing that it was him who called her name. “Oliver, just leave me alone, okay? I get it, I’m a terrible person and I’m already going to apologize to McKenna tomorrow. But I’m not in the mood to hear it from you again.”

“That’s not why I followed you out. I wanted,” he groans at his own stupid concern for her, “I wanted to see if you’re okay.”

Felicity turns around to face him fully, her face stoic and her voice emotionless. “Are you kidding me?”

He’s taken aback by her reaction, his brows drawing together in confusion, “No, I just --” Oliver cuts himself off, not knowing exactly what he had planned on saying.

“So now you suddenly care about me again? If you’re gonna hate me Oliver, at least be consistent about it.”

“Felicity that’s not… I’m not exactly your biggest fan right now, but I don’t hate you. I could  _never_  hate you.”

She looks around, letting out a humorless laugh. “Y’know, I get it Oliver, I do. Everyone seems to think that I have just forgotten the last five years, but I haven’t. I know that I hurt you but when I came back… I tried to apologize and I tried to explain, but you wouldn’t even give me a chance. Do you think that it was easy for me? Coming back and facing you again? Leaving in the first place? What did you think happened, I just suddenly turned into some cold-hearted bitch who would end a relationship with the man I love for no reason? My reasons were my own but they  _were_  reasons and at the time they made sense and I -- I was scared and running away was my way of dealing with it. I was struggling with long distance, and with each of our obligations it just seemed…” she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before continuing.

“I’m not saying it was the right thing to do, running without giving you an explanation. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t  _have_  an explanation. You are the most important person to me,” a tear trails down her cheek as her voice becomes more passionate with every word. “You were my best friend in  _life_  before you were anything else, and now we can’t even have that. I -- I expected you to be hurt, even angry. But I never expected for you to be  _cruel_ _.”_ The young man parks her red mini on the road behind her, climbing out and handing her the keys.

He doesn't know what to say, her words striking a chord in him. His own eyes began to water at the passion in her voice, the pain visible in her eyes and it makes him sick to his stomach to think that he caused that, even if she had hurt him first. He takes a step forward but stops in his tracks when she raises a hand and backs away, making her way around the hood of her car and to the driver’s door.

She grabs the handle but before she pulls open the door, she looks up at him to conclude her earlier speech. “I guess you were right, Oliver; maybe we really don’t know each other anymore.” Felicity gets in her car and speeds away from him, reminding Oliver all too much of  _that night_.

Oliver stands in the middle of the sidewalk, numb to everything around him as he considers her words. She was right; yes, she broke up with him, but he was so hurt that he never even considered the fact that she may have had a reason, a thought process that lead her to making the decision to run away. Above everything else, she was his best friend. And angry or not, he never would’ve treated her the way he has been. Maybe it’s the fact that she hurt him in their relationship, not their friendship, that has stuck with him. Maybe now  _he’s_  the one running away, afraid to get close to her again; to get hurt by her again. That’s not an excuse for his unnecessary jabs at her, though. But watching her drive away from him,  _again_ , he can’t help but think back to the words he had told McKenna earlier today.

 _I’ll always care about her._  Of course he will. No matter how hard he’s tried, he can’t hate her. And he tried.  _Hard_. He complained about her to strangers when he was drunk, said bad things about her, convinced himself that he was better off without her even though he knew that he wasn’t. But that’s just it; he knew that he wasn’t. So, his continuous efforts to try and hate her were useless because he never could. How could he hate someone so wonderful?

 _I was in love with her for more than half of my life._  That’s the biggest understatement of the century. He wasn’t just in love with her; she was like this bright light in the darkness and confusion of his life. Whenever he felt down on himself, whenever he didn't feel good enough, she was there. Even when he was a kid, he always felt like he didn’t belong in his own life and then he met her. It was like he was drowning and she saved him with her adorable glasses and that stupid red crayon. And her smile had saved him every day since, in every possible way that a person can be saved.

 _Felicity is a part of my past._  Yeah, she is. The best and most important part of his past that when he looks back on it, he can’t even believe that he was lucky enough to have met her. She just has this presence about her that just exuberates light and happiness and joy and it was contagious. She’s like a disease, but in a good way. Everything and everyone she touches gets infected with her light and it just brings them to life. It brought him to life.

 _You’re my future._  It’s easier, for him to tell himself that; that this amazing, intelligent, beautiful woman who loves him is his future. That he can see himself marrying her, having kids with her, growing old with her. And maybe he can. Maybe he can see their life and maybe it looks happy and nice and good. But what is that when he has considered his future and seen great? Fulfilling and surprising and liberating? And what does he do now that when he looks into the eyes of the woman that used to make his entire life with her flash before him, all he feels is pain? He remembers how badly she hurt him and how badly he suffered from it and he  _needs_  to believe that he can have another future. He  _needs_  to believe that he can have a future, a  _good_  future, with someone else. It’s the only thing that’s keeping him above water.

But watching her drive away from him…  _again_ … He just doesn’t know what he believes in anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	6. And All of the Things That We Once Said (They're Not in My Heart, They're in My Head)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**April 2012** _

_The dull sound of music swayed through the atmosphere at Jitters where Felicity sat, slowly sipping her piping hot vanilla latte. Iris was going on about the details of her first official date with Barry last night, every detail in which she had already heard via Barry himself. She was so incredibly happy for her two friends; Barry finally took her advice and told Iris how he felt, and she realized that she could feel the same way and that would like to find out by going on a date. Apparently, it had gone well and they shared their first kiss at the end of the night._

_“That’s great, Iris. I’m really happy for you guys,” Felicity cooed, blowing on her coffee before taking another small sip._

_“Thanks, Fel. Speaking of relationships, how’s Oliver doing? I haven’t seen him in like, the longest time.” Iris pulled off a chunk of her blueberry muffin and popped it into her mouth, noticing the blonde’s hesitation._

_She stared at her cup, picking at the corner of the brown coffee sleeve that was warm from the hot liquid it contained. “He’s great. Taking extra classes, getting ready for his summer internship at his family’s company. He’s just really busy.”_

_“And? You guys are okay, right?”_

_The blonde sighed, taking another drink before placing her cup on the small table in front of the couch that the girls sat on. “If by ‘okay’ you mean we’re still together? Then yes, we are. But I haven’t seen him in person since January, and I can’t even remember the last time we had an actual conversation that lasted longer than five minutes. I just… I don’t know what to do anymore. I mean, I know we’re both busy, but I still make it a point to try and schedule a Skype date at least once every two weeks. He’s cancelled the last three of them.”_

_Iris' face contorted with sympathy as she finished off her muffin, crumpling up the wrapper and tossing it onto the tiny plate. “Ugh, that sucks Fel. What are you gonna do? Have you talked to him about it?”_

_She huffed a laugh, “When? We never talk! I mean, I know that finishing college and taking over his dad’s company is important to him, but it’s like he’s changed. He’s all “I have to study, no time for fun’. And I get it, I do. But… I miss my boyfriend, dammit!” Her bottom lip jutted out in an aggravated pout, and she ran her fingers through her hair with a groan._

_“Well, what about this summer? Things will get better, right? You can reconnect?”_

_“Normally I’d say yes, but I’m only there until the end of the first week of August because the internship I start with that IT company. And he’ll be at his internship every weekday. But I guess it’ll be easier since I’ll be staying at his house.”_

_“Yes! You’ll be staying at his house and you guys will reconnect. Trust me, Fel. When he was here, it took me all of five seconds to see how much you guys love each other.”_

_“Thanks, Iris.” She picked up her latte and took another sip of the room temperature liquid. She looked up feeling Iris’ eyes on her. “What?”_

_“Okay don’t look, but that guy at the counter has been staring at you for like, five minutes.”_

_Felicity raised her eyebrows and turned around, ignoring Iris’ voice telling her that she said not to look. A tall, broad-shouldered guy who was probably around her age was indeed staring at her, causing her cheeks to flush and she quickly turned her back to him._

_Iris’ eyes widened, “Oh my god, he’s coming over here.”_

_She began to panic internally but tried to remain calm on the outside as his kind voice reached her ears, “Excuse me?”_

_She exchanged a look with her friend before taking a breath, putting on a fake smile and turning to the man, “Yes?”_

_“I’m sorry for staring, I just… Do I know you?” the man, who had yet to introduce himself, furrowed his brows at her._

_“Um, I don’t think so? I’m --”_

_“-- Felicity Smoak!” he cut her off and she stared up at him blankly. Realizing how creepy and stalker-ish he sounded, his eyes widened and he rushed to explain himself, “Sorry, my name is Ray Palmer. We’re in the same Intro to Biotechnology class.”_

_Felicity immediately recognized him and smiled, “Oh, right! Dr. Wells is a great professor, don’t you think?”_

_“Yeah, he’s a genius. Anyway, I was really impressed by your presentation on possible future advancements in the field of nanotechnology. I was hoping we could maybe get coffee and discuss that more, I’d love to bounce some ideas off you,” Ray sent her a charming smile._

_“That sounds great, actually. Maybe we can go after class this week,” Felicity offered with a smile because he seemed nice enough and it would be good to have a friend in that class to talk theory with._

_“Awesome. I guess it’s a date then.”_

 

* * *

 

**October 2017**

Opening the door to his loft, Oliver steps inside and takes off his jacket, hanging it on the coat rack with a long sigh. McKenna follows him in, closing the door behind her and setting her purse down on the table in the entryway. She had come outside shortly after Felicity left, saying that she was tired and wanted to go back to his place where she often spent the night. After hearing his name a couple of times, he was snapped out of his thoughts about Felicity and handed the valet the ticket stub for his Jaguar. The drive home had been completely silent, McKenna resting her head against the cool window and his eyes glued on the road. He couldn’t get Felicity’s words out of his head, her speech replaying over and over again like a broken record.

Oliver runs his hands over his face before turning around towards McKenna, who’s bent over slightly at the waist trying to pull off her heels. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Her head shoots up, “Excuse me? Look, I know that I was a little harsh, but I was just caught off guard by her being there and --”

“-- That dinner,” he interrupts, trying to keep himself calm, “was already uncomfortable for everyone, and you just had to make it worse by attacking Felicity and for what? To stake your claim on me or something?”

 _“What?_ That’s ridiculous. And why are you defending her?” McKenna props her hands on her hips, obviously not enjoying this conversation.

“Why am I --” he cuts himself off with a huff of disbelief. “I am not defending her. But I’m not going to just dismiss what happened because you’re my girlfriend, McKenna.”

“Exactly.  _I’m_  your girlfriend, not her. Which you seem to have forgotten when instead of asking me if  _I_  was okay, you ran out of the restaurant like you were on fire just to make sure _she_ was okay,” she crosses her arms across her chest. “You still have feelings for her.” It isn’t a question or even a statement, but an accusation.

Oliver glances up at the ceiling and sighs, trying not to let his anger rise. He is really starting to get tired of everyone in his life telling him how he feels. “No, McKenna, I don’t. But I have known her for almost my entire life and as much as I don’t want to, I still care about her. So yes, I could tell that she was hurt and about to cry, which is why I went after her.” McKenna scoffs and turns her head to the side, looking away from him, and that sets him off. He glares at her, anger surging through his veins and he feels himself losing control. “You know what, McKenna? You had no right --  _no right!_  -- to say what you said to her! Bringing up past relationships you know nothing about and insinuating that she’s some kind of slut for dating both me and Tommy? Which Laurel did too, by the way.”

She whirls on him, “I did  _not_  say that!”

“You may as well have! I told you about my relationship with her because I  _trusted_  you, because I wanted to let you in. But then you went and used that to hurt her, a woman that you know I care about! Did you honestly think that I would just let you talk to her like that?”

“Everything I said was true!”

“No, McKenna. Because you don’t know anything about her or my relationship with her. You had no right to make her feel bad about things you know nothing about, and you certainly had no right to do it in a public place in front of our friends! I trusted you and you used it to hurt her, to prove that you have me now and she doesn’t to abate your own insecurities when it comes to Felicity. It is not my fault that you feel insecure or jealous or whatever it is you feel when it comes to her. And it _definitely_ isn’t her fault; she’s done nothing to you. I have told you again and again that I want to be with you, so if you can’t accept that, that’s on you. Not me and certainly not Felicity.” Oliver is breathing heavily, his voice having risen louder with each word he spoke.

McKenna stands frozen, staring at the floor as she takes in his words. Finally, after almost two silent minutes have passed, she looks up with apologetic eyes. She bites her lip before speaking, “You’re right. What I said was completely uncalled for. You trusted me and I broke that trust. I don’t know Felicity or what all of you went through, and I shouldn’t have pretended like I did. She just -- she brings something out in me, you know? She’s smart and beautiful and everyone loves her. I feel like she knows you in a way I never will and that intimidates me. I’m sorry, Oliver. I understand if you can’t forgive me…” Her gaze returns to the floor, bringing a hand to wipe away a fallen tear from under her eye.

His face softens and he sighs, shortening the distance between them and bringing his fingers to her face, lifting her chin to force her to look at him. “Hey,” he pulls her against his chest, one hand settling around her waist and the other cradling the back of her head. “I do forgive you. I know that’s not who you are. But I don’t know how else I can convince you that Felicity and I are over. If you can’t accept that and deal with whatever insecurities you have, I don’t know where we go from here.”

She sniffles, pulling away from his chest and glancing up at him. “I can; I believe you. And I can try to work on being more secure. I’m going to call Felicity tomorrow and apologize, maybe invite her to lunch. It’s the least I can do.”

“Good. Now, it’s been an incredibly long day. Can we just go to bed?” Oliver raises his eyebrows, trying not to let it show that while he wants her to apologize, he really doesn’t want the two of them to start hanging out and becoming friends.

She sighs happily, “I’d like that a lot.” McKenna stands up on her tiptoes, placing a peck on his lips before pulling away and walking towards his bedroom, hands flying to the top of her zipper. Oliver watches her disappear around the corner before he sits back on the top edge of his couch, releasing a long breath and rubbing his hands over his face. Between this afternoon at QC, what will go down in history as the most catastrophic dinner ever, Felicity’s passionate speech -- the speech that hasn’t stopped replaying in his head since she drove away from the curb -- and this conversation with McKenna, all he wants to do is lay in his bed and sleep.

 

* * *

 

Glancing up from her computer at the sound of a knock on her office door, Felicity sees Tommy standing sheepishly with his hands in the front pockets of his pants. She clenches her jaw, eyes moving back to her computer screen and fingers rapidly typing with unnecessary force.

“Lis, can we talk?” Tommy asks, tentatively stepping through the door and closer to her desk.

Felicity looks up and feigns confusion, “Sorry, do I know you? You look a lot like this guy I used to be friends with, but then he was an idiot and I murdered him. Brutally.”

His eyes widen and he begins to sweat nervously at the seriousness in her tone. “Look, Lis, I am really sorry. That went nothing like I planned, I swear!”

She gapes at him, “Like you  _planned_ _?_ God, Tommy! Why can’t you ever just mind your own business? Why the hell would you invite me to a dinner with Oliver and his girlfriend, who clearly despises me, and lie to me about it so I would show up? What exactly did you think would happen?”

“Lis, I swear, I did not know that he would bring her. I just -- I can see how much both of you are hurting and missing each other. And you guys are my best friends too, okay? We all used to hang out together, and I miss you guys. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have meddled. I just miss how things used to be.” He stares at his feet and Felicity’s glare softens as she stands up, moving around her desk and towards Tommy.

He lifts his head, pleading at her with his big blue eyes, and she tries to stay mad but just can’t. “Ugh. Damn you Tommy Merlyn,” she rolls her eyes, “C’mere.” She extends her arms, pulling him into a hug and he squeezes her back. “You’re forgiven. But no more meddling!”

“Okay. No more meddling.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

 

* * *

 

Walking into the Starling City Precinct, Felicity takes a few deep breaths as she prepares herself for what she’s about to do. She approaches the front desk, smiling at the young woman that sits there. “Hi. I was wondering if you can tell me where I can find Officer Hall?” Coming to see McKenna was a decision that didn’t come easy, but Felicity decided that if she ever wants to be in Oliver’s life again, which she _desperately_ wants, she’ll have to make nice with the girl that he loves. Truth be told, she doesn’t have particularly warm and fuzzy feelings towards McKenna, but she can understand how the woman must feel. Plus, she wasn’t exactly innocent the other night; she only added fuel to the fire with that comment about comparing notes with each other essentially about having sex with Oliver. _Now that would be awkward._

The woman opens her mouth to respond to Felicity when a distinct, deep voice cuts in, “Felicity Smoak? Is that you?”

Felicity peers over her shoulder, immediately recognizing the voice, “Captain Lance. How are you?”

The older man offers a smile; he’s always liked her from when she first became friends with Sara to when she became closer friends with Laurel. The one thing that he hated -- never keeping that fact from her -- was her choice in boyfriends. He has despised Oliver since he was a teenager, getting drunk and disorderly tickets and peeing on cops. The hatred only increased after Oliver started dating Laurel before skyrocketing when Oliver had cheated on Laurel with Sara, destroying the girls’ relationship for months and disrupting the entire Lance family unit. “Doing good. And yourself? My daughters tell me you’ve moved back for good.”

Felicity takes a step towards him and away from the reception desk with a bright smile, “Yes, I have. Laurel actually asked me to be her maid of honor the other night, so we’ll probably be seeing a lot of each other.”

“That’s great. It’s good to see you. But if you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here?”

“Oh. I actually came to talk to someone. Officer McKenna Hall? Do you know where I can find her?”

Captain Lance huffs but directs her to follow him anyway as he leads her through the bullpen, “I’m not gonna have to break up some cat fight over Queen, am I? Y’know, I’ve always thought you could do better than him. Please tell me a smart young woman like yourself isn’t looking to get back with a man like Queen.”

Felicity offers up a fake laugh, “It’s always such a pleasure talking to you, Captain. You’re just so warm and inviting.”

“Hall’s desk is right over there,” he points to a semi-closed off cubicle where McKenna is indeed sitting, presumably looking over some case files, and attempts to fix her with an unimpressed expression, but his amusement with her shines in his eyes. “Should I stay close, just in case?”

She tries to suppress a smile, “I think I’ll be fine, even if she does have a gun.”

The older man can’t hold in his amusement anymore as he barks out a laugh before shaking his head and starting towards his office. Felicity takes a deep breath, mentally preparing herself as she begins walking towards the other woman, heels clicking lightly against the concrete flooring. When she reaches the cubicle, she knocks lightly on the divider and McKenna’s head shoots up, her mouth falling open in surprise.

“Felicity, hi. Uh, this is a surprise.” McKenna manages, standing up from her desk chair.

Felicity tries to offer the other woman a small smile but she’s not entirely sure she manages one, “Yeah, I know. I’m a little surprised that I even got myself through the front door.”

She lets a small laugh bubble past her lips before tilting her head and gesturing towards the blonde with her hands, “I was actually going to call you. I want to apologize for dinner the other night. I think everyone was a little uncomfortable and I had a little too much to drink, but that doesn't excuse my behavior. I said some pretty terrible things.”

“Yeah, I wanted to apologize too. I only kept things going and antagonized you when I could’ve put a stop to it. And I swear, I didn’t even know that you would be there. The last thing I want is to make this whole situation with me and Oliver any more complicated than it has to be by becoming enemies, for lack of a better word, with you.”

“Well, all is forgiven. But I am truly sorry for insinuating things about your personal life choices and for pretending like I knew everything about your relationships. Truth is, you kind of intimidate me.”

Felicity nods her head in understanding, “I forgive you too. And if it makes you feel any better, I didn’t come back here to mess up Oliver’s life and the last thing I want is to undermine his relationship with you. He seems to really care for you and like you said, I broke his heart. I just want him to be happy.”

The other woman grimaces at the reminder of what she’d said, “Again, sorry about that. But, thank you. That’s good to hear.”

She presses her lips together in a tight line as the air between them becomes awkwardly silent. “Well, I guess I should go now. I’m glad we could clear the air.”

She nods with a smile that is way too bright, “Yeah, me too. Maybe we can have lunch sometime or something!”

Warning bells go off in Felicity’s head at the prospect of spending any more time with the woman currently sleeping with the man she loves than she has too. She tilts her head, walking backwards away from McKenna and towards the door, catching herself before she nearly trips over the corner of a random officer’s desk, “Yeah! That’d be so great! I’ll uh, I’ll call you and we can set that up.” She turns around, finally making her way out of the station and towards her car, and releases the breath she’s been holding. That had not been easy, but it’s just another step closer to getting Oliver back in her life.

 

* * *

 

Pulling up the driveway of his childhood home, Oliver takes a deep breath as memories flood through his mind; running around the backyard with his two best friends, movie nights with Felicity cuddled into his side, his and Felicity’s first time together in his room. Shaking his head as if trying to physically push the thoughts from his mind, Oliver makes his way to the porch, foregoing knocking on the door and pushing it open. He closes it behind him before walking further into the entryway and yelling, “Mom?”

Moira appears from around the corner and the balcony, heading towards the staircase with her hand securely wrapped around the bannister. “Oliver, darling,” her voice causes him to turn around and return her smile.

“Mom,” he moves to place a kiss to her cheek when she reaches him.

She grabs his hand and leads him through the house towards the back patio, “Raisa has prepared lunch outside. I had her make all of your favorites.”

“She didn’t have to do that; I’ll have to thank her before I leave. Will Thea be joining us?”

Oliver pulls out her chair for her and she sits gracefully, folding her napkin onto her lap and pouring a glass of ice water from the pitcher, “I’m afraid not. Thea wasn’t feeling well so she decided to stay in bed.”

“And by not feeling well, you mean she’s hungover? Mom, she’s fifteen years old,” he sighs before taking his own seat. It kills him to think about what Thea does every night and how she could be headed down a dangerous path; she’s just a kid, his baby sister.

“Yes, well I have tried to get through to her but nothing works. She is just going through a phase; this is a very difficult time in a young woman’s life, and clearly she is struggling.”

“Mom, she needs help, not her credit card taken away.”

“Oliver, can we just have a nice lunch? I’d rather not discuss your sister right now,” Moira pleads. It’s been tough on her, trying to deal with Thea all by herself. “How is Queen Consolidated doing?”

He exhales slowly, “Of course. Uh, work is good. Numbers are steadily increasing in almost every department, there are some new projects in development. Things are good.”

“Well, that’s wonderful.”

Oliver nods his head slowly, casting his eyes downwards and shoveling a forkful of steamed broccoli into his mouth.

Narrowing her eyes at her son, Moira pushes her food around her plate, “Is there anything else you’d like to talk about? Any new… developments in your life?”

He lifts his chin and shrugs, “Nope.”

“Really? Because you’ll never guess who was here with your sister the other day. Felicity.”

Oliver’s entire body stiffens at the mention of her name and he clears his throat, trying to hide his tension, “Oh?”

“You could have told me that she was back, Oliver. Are you alright?”

“Me? Yeah, I’m fine.”

Moira sighs, wiping the corners of her mouth with her napkin before reaching over the table and clasping her son’s hand in hers. “Sweetheart, I know that you probably would rather not talk about Felicity, and I respect that, but I would like to give you some advice. I spent many years watching you grow up and date many girls. But to this day, I have never seen you as happy as you were when you were with Felicity, even as children. And even though she broke your heart, and even though you have found someone else who makes you happy, you still love that girl. And a love like what you had with her… That kind of love does not just die when someone leaves you. Now you may have convinced yourself that you have moved on with McKenna, who you know I think is a lovely girl. But you are my son and I know you, Oliver. I have always known that Felicity is the girl that you are going to marry and that has not changed. And as soon as you realize that, you need to tell her how you feel before it is too late.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	7. And I Feel So Alone (Like I’m Losing Control)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**June 2012** _

_Oliver walked out of the SCU building where his last class of the day just finished, smiling when he saw Tommy standing next to his Porsche. Classes at Starling City University had been going great so far, Oliver taking extras so that he could have enough credits to start his internship. He’d be working pretty low on the corporate food chain, following around some low-level executive to really get to know what many people actually do at Queen Consolidated. With time, he’d be able to move up and maybe shadow the VP, and eventually his mother. Oliver had been doing surprisingly well in school, taking his classes extremely seriously and working hard. The only drawback was that he was so busy that he and Felicity hadn’t been talking as much as they used to. She was also taking on extra projects, so she tried to schedule time for them to talk when they were both free, but recently he had to cancel several of their ’dates’. He felt bad about it, but this was important to him and to his family. Felicity understood and to him, the distance hadn’t really changed anything. They still loved each other and in two years, they’d be done with school and she would be back in Starling. They’d move in together, get married and live happily ever after -- at least in Oliver’s mind. But honestly, he’d like to take the next steps in their relationship sooner rather than later, before they grow too far apart._

_“Do you want to head to the beach tonight? There’s a party that this guy in my Econ class told me about. Should be fun,” Tommy said with a smile, grabbing Oliver’s attention._

_They both climb into the car, Oliver settling his sunglasses atop his nose, “Yeah, sounds cool. But can we make a stop first? Felicity is coming home Sunday and I want to pick some things up for her from our vault as a welcome home thing. And I never gave her a birthday present because she was still in Massachusetts.”_

_Tommy pulled onto the road, eyeing him from the corner of his eye with a smirk, “What are you thinking, man?”_

_“Nothing. There’s just some Queen family heirlooms that I want to get my hands on. Just some earrings and stuff. I wanna look around.”_

_“Yeah, okay.”_

 

* * *

  

_After stopping by the bank to access the Queen’s vault and get some different pieces of jewelry, Tommy and Oliver drove back to his house to drop off their stuff and get ready for that beach party. The car rolled to a stop and Tommy shifted the gear into park, the best friends both climbing out of the car and heading towards the front door._

_The boys were stopped in their tracks at the sound of a familiar voice coming from behind them, “Do you guys know where I can find Tommy Merlyn and Oliver Queen? Word on the street is they used to be pretty cool.”_

_Oliver turned to find Felicity, looking as gorgeous as ever in the summer sunlight. He grinned and headed towards her after Tommy, who wrapped her up in a hug, lifting her off the ground and causing her to laugh. Once her feet were planted firmly back on the ground, Tommy spoke, “Lis! I thought you weren’t gonna be back until Sunday!”_

_“I was but then I decided I couldn’t wait any longer to be home, so I finished up all my tests and hopped on a private jet courtesy of Moira Queen. My bags are already inside. You guys took forever to get home,” Felicity explained, unknowing that the reason that they were late was for her._

_She turned to her boyfriend, her smile growing even wider and she shortened the distance between them, a little hop in her step causing her high ponytail to swing back and forth from her movements. Oliver wrapped an arm around her waist and cradled the back of her head with the other. He smiled down at her with something unfamiliar to her shining in his eyes; hope for their future together. She leaned up on her tiptoes and placed a firm but gentle kiss to his lips._

_He allowed his tongue to slip briefly between her lips to tangle with her own before pulling away and resting his forehead against hers, both of their eyes still closed to stay lost in the feeling. “Welcome home.”_

 

* * *

 

**November 2017**

Walking into Verdant, Oliver’s eyes search for Tommy so that they can go over the final arrangements for his bachelor party. The wedding is in two weeks, and Oliver is planning on making his best friend's last night of partying as epic as their parties were in high school. Plus, it gives him something to keep his mind off the particular gorgeous blonde that has been occupying his thoughts lately. Ever since he had lunch with his mom last month, he hasn’t been able to stop considering her words. Maybe it’s time that he talks to Felicity, outside of the handful of times she’d come to discuss work, and give her an opportunity to explain herself. After all, she had made it a point to say that she did have reasons and explanations; maybe it’s time he hears them.

Oliver makes his way towards the staircase in the back that leads up to Tommy’s office when he hears a very familiar laugh coming from the bar. Inhaling a deep breath through his nose, he braces himself for what he knows he’s about to see when he turns around. His eyes land on his baby sister, taking shots of what looks like vodka with a few of her friends that he recognizes. She is wobbling on her four inch heels, clearly having been here drinking for a while, and wearing a skintight dress that falls way too high on her thighs for his liking. Feeling his anger rise, Oliver stalks over to the bar and wraps his hand around her wrist, yanking her away from her friends.

Thea’s head swivels around and she smiles up at him, eyes glossy and unfocused, “Ollie!”

He glares down at her, arm around her waist to hold her up as she hangs loosely on his arm. “Thea. What are you doing here? Where is Tommy?”

“Psh, he doesn’t know I’m here. It’s Larissa’s birthday!” her words come out slurred.

“How did you get in here? You are fifteen years old.”

“I believe it was from the bouncer who said ‘right this way, Miss Queen’,” she giggles.

Oliver sucks in a sharp breath. He is _so_ getting that guy fired. “C’mon, we’re leaving,” his tone offers no room for argument as he begins to pull her along with him but apparently, she doesn't get the message, because she pouts and plants her heels into the floor.

“ _You_  are leaving.  _I_  am not going anywhere.”

“I’m not asking. Let’s go.”

“No, Ollie. Y’know, I am sick and tired of you  _judging_  me! When you were my age you were getting arrested, so you have no right to tell me how to live my life. Especially considering you’ve turned into a completely different person! All you care about is work!”

He sighs, not wanting to fight with her but just wanting to take her home, “Speedy…”

“No! Okay, it is not my fault that you turned into a boring, judgmental jerk ever since Felicity dumped your ass. You can’t tell me what to do. You’re not my father!” Thea glares up at him and if looks could kill, he would’ve dropped dead five minutes ago. She pushes her way past him and back to her friends at the bar, who have all been curiously watching the siblings’ exchange.

Oliver takes a deep breath and the loud thumping of the beat becomes too much for him. His head is pounding by the time he makes it outside. Climbing into his car, he starts driving back to his apartment. After about twenty minutes when he parks, his eyes finally focus on where he is and it isn't at home. Narrowing his eyes, Oliver climbs out of his car and inhales deeply, breathing in the cool evening air as he realizes where he is. Taking this as a sign that his subconscious might finally be ready for this, he makes his way up the front steps. Oliver inhales another breath to prepare himself before he lifts his hand and knocks.

 

* * *

 

Drying off the last of her dishes from dinner, Felicity reaches up and puts them away inside the cabinet. She walks over to her wine rack and pulls out her favorite bottle, a Lafite Rothschild 1982. It’s just been one of those weeks where she needs to kick back and enjoy a nice, large glass of her favorite drink: wine. Just as she’s about to pour the delicious red liquid, someone knocks on her front door. Her brows draw together and she makes her way to the door, wondering who it could be considering she has only been living in her new townhouse for a couple weeks and not many people know that she lives here. She wraps her hand around the knob and twists it, tugging open the door and freezing when she sees who is behind it. “Oliver?”

Oliver releases a breath almost like he's relieved to see her, but maybe that's just wishful thinking on her part. With one hand shoved in his pocket and the other scratching the back of his neck, which she recognizes as one of his nervous tics, he shifts his weight between his feet.

Immediately able to tell that something is bothering him, she furrows her brows, not even worrying about the fact that she is wearing a pair of very short shorts and one of his t-shirts that she's kept all these years; it doesn't smell like him anymore. "What happened?"

"Can I come in?" his voice is steady, but she can tell that it's forced. She silently steps aside, making room for him to walk through the threshold into her living room. He looks around, taking in the cozy little townhouse.

Felicity closes the door and faces him, not knowing what to do or say. "Do you want something to drink? I just opened a bottle of wine."

"Red?" he questions all too knowingly. She sucks in a sharp breath at his remembrance and nods her head. "That would be great, actually. I could use it."

She gestures a hand towards the couch, "Make yourself at home." It isn't lost on either of them that at one point in time, her home should have been his. She heads into the kitchen while he pulls off his coat and drapes it over her sofa bench before settling on the couch, sinking into the plush cushions.

Pulling out another glass from the rack, Felicity begins to pour their drinks and she is unable to stop her hands from shaking. Oliver is here; the man she loves is currently sitting in her living room. And it is obvious to her that he is upset yet somehow he ended up on her doorstep. They haven’t spoken about anything that doesn’t have to do with work since what Felicity has deemed the Dinner Disaster of ‘17. So why is he upset, and why has he come to her of all people? She also hopes that he doesn’t recognize his shirt because _that_ could be awkward.

She grabs a glass in each hand and her bare feet pad softly against the hardwood floor as she makes her way from the kitchen, holding his glass out to him. Both suck in a sharp breath when their fingers brushed, the spark that used to happen every time they touched still present. Making sure to keep a respectable distance between them, Felicity sits down and they both sip their wine silently. Deciding to break the silence, she tries to make her voice come out steadier than how she feels whenever she’s around him, “Oliver, why are you here?”

Oliver sighs and sets his glass down on the side table before shifting to face her more. His eyes are cast downward and he furrows his brow, “I don’t know. I left Verdant to go home but I… I ended up here.” At her curious glance, he answered her silent question, “Sara mentioned a while ago where you moved.”

“Right,” she nods her head slowly, eyes boring into his profile. “So… what happened tonight? I can tell that something is bothering you.”

“It’s Thea,” he decides to get right to the point, finding it just as easy as it used to be to talk to her. “I found her at Verdant, wasted off her ass. And she said some stuff and… I don’t know what to do.”

Eyes scanning over the lines of his face, Felicity decides to take a calculated risk and shift closer to him on the couch, one leg tucked up underneath herself. “I’m sorry, Oliver. I didn’t know that she was struggling so much. Do you want me to talk to her? Maybe I can get through to her, convince to stop or get some help.”

He glances up at her, brows drawn together in confusion, “You’d do that?”

“Of course I would. Thea is like a little sister to me, I love her. Of course I want to help her.”

Oliver can’t stop the small smile from tugging up the corners of his mouth, but it quickly falls when he casts his eyes downwards. He gulps and something unreadable flashes through his eyes. “That’s mine.”

“What?” Felicity mutters before realizing what he means and looking down. Her fingers play with the hem of the grey tee before chancing a look up at his face. She can’t tell if he is angry or hurt or what, because his face remains stoic and his eyes are unmoving from where they’re locked on the shirt between her fingers. Her voice is quiet when she speaks, “Oh. Uh, yeah. It is. You must’ve left it when you were visiting me once, I guess I just kept it…”

His eyes flick up to her face, “Why?”

“Why did I keep it? I don’t know, it’s really comfortable and -- “

“No. Why did you leave?” Her head shoots up at his question and their eyes connect, hurt and vulnerability shining through his and she sucks in a sharp breath. She’s searching for words when he continues, “You said that you had a reason; an explanation. But I wasn’t ready to hear it. I am now.”

“Okay… Okay,” Felicity shifts closer to him once again, reaching out a tentative hand and meeting his eyes in a silent question. When he doesn’t object, she grasps his hand in hers and nearly sighs in relief at the feel of his soft, warm skin that she’s missed so much. “Oliver… You have to know that I… It wasn’t easy for me. When I got back to Massachusetts, I was a mess. During the day, I threw myself into work and school. And at night I would just lay in my bed and cry. I’m not looking for sympathy, but I just need you to understand that not a day has gone by in the last five years where I didn't regret the choice I made.”

He doesn’t speak but keeps his eyes locked on her face as she continues, “The reason that I left, that I got scared, is because I fou -- “ her voice is interrupted by a ringing sound and Oliver sighs, finally pulling his eyes away from her and lifting his hips to retrieve his phone from his back pocket. She releases the grip she has on his hand and shifts a few inches away from him.

He looks at his phone screen and groans, eyes settling back on the blonde as he slides his thumb across the screen, “Hello?” Oliver sighs at the person on the other end of the line, “Yeah… Okay… Just keep her upstairs, I’m on my way… Yeah, I’ll be there in twenty… Thanks, man.”

She furrows his brow as he hangs up, shoulders filled with a newfound tension, “Who was that?”

He stands, making his way to grab his coat, “Tommy. He dragged Thea upstairs when she started to dance on the bar and now she’s passed out. He can’t leave the club; I have to take her home.”

“Of course,” Felicity stands, walking him to the door, “I hope she’s okay. Um… maybe we can finish this another time?” She cringes internally at the hopefulness in her tone.

Oliver turns to her, “Thank you for offering to talk to Thea. I’m sure it’ll really help her. Goodnight, Felicity.”

Felicity stands in the open doorway and watches him walk to his car, waiting until it’s out of sight before a tear trails down her cheek, still shaken that he even came here in the first place, and she whispers to open air, “Goodbye, Oliver.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	8. Time Can Move So Fast (Some Things Aren't Made to Last)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**July 2012** _

_Felicity laid in Oliver’s bed, hands crossed over her stomach as she stared blankly at the ceiling, thunder shaking throughout the house. Lightning flickered through the window; it was raining hard, the first big storm of the summer. Oliver was staying late at Queen Consolidated tonight, like every night that week, and she was infinitely bored out of her mind. Before coming back to Starling, she thought that things would be different between them, that they would be able to spend more time together. But she was wrong. Sure, they spent every night together, but he was gone every weekday and would even bring stuff home on weekends to work on. She’d spent more time with Thea than her own boyfriend. She tried to talk to him about it too, but he only pushed it aside, saying he was spending as much free time as possible with her and that everything was fine. But even if that was true, that didn’t mean it was any easier._

_Deciding not to sit around and wait for him anymore, Felicity sat up, her eyes roaming around the room for something to do. Spotting a couple piles of clean clothes on the ottoman by the couch, she figured she’d clean up his room a little bit. Felicity stood up from the bed and grabbed the pants and dress shirts first, making her way to the closet and hanging them up. She continued putting away jeans and t-shirts before all that was left was a couple rolls of socks and some boxers. Grabbing them, she made her way over to his dresser and opened the bottom drawer, adding his underwear onto one of the existing piles. She tossed his socks in as well and started closing the drawer when something caught her eye. Tucked into the back-corner, peeking from underneath his socks, was a black velvet box._ Great hiding spot, Oliver.

_A little smile tugging up the corners of her lips, she reached in and pulled out the box, examining it in her hands. Felicity knew that she shouldn’t open it, that is was wrong to peek at an obvious present for her, but she couldn’t resist. It could be diamond earrings or a bracelet; she just had to know. But when she flipped open the top, her breath caught in her throat and her heartbeat sped up as she stared at last thing she ever expected to find: a ring. A diamond ring. A diamond engagement ring._

_Snapping the box closed, she tossed it back where she found it like it was on fire and quickly shut the drawer. She backed up slowly, everything around her fading away, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Oliver was going to propose to her. What the fuck?! She was nineteen years old; he’s only twenty! She lives on the other side of the country and this was all too much for her to handle. She sucked in quick, sharp breaths to try and fill her lungs with air as the panic became overwhelming. This couldn’t be happening; this was too soon; they’re too young; they’re already growing apart. Keeping their relationship afloat was already a struggle for her lately, but a marriage? If leaving him every single time she’s had to was this hard now, what would it be like if they were married, or even just engaged?_

_All coherent thoughts leaving her head, Felicity turned around and bent down, yanking her suitcase out from underneath the bed. She couldn’t stay here; this was too much. Everything was like a blur; she didn’t even remember retrieving her clothes from Oliver’s closet or putting on her shoes or calling a cab. She was gathering her makeup and toiletries from the bathroom when she heard his voice filtering into the room. It had been wishful thinking on her part that she could leave before he even got home._

_“Felicity? I’m home. What are -- what is this?” Oliver stopped and eyed her bag with confusion, turning at the sound of her footsteps coming back into the room. She frantically brushed past him and threw her makeup bag into her suitcase, flipping the top and zipping it closed. “Felicity. What are you doing?”_

_“I can’t… I can’t be here. I need to leave,” she managed, unable to look him in the eye. She needed to get out now. Grabbing the handle, she jerked her bag off the bed and maneuvered herself around him, nearly running from the room and down the stairs._

_Oliver chased after her, stepping in between her body and the front door, forcing her to look up at him. “Why? What happened? Felicity, what is going on?”_

_“Oliver, I -- I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore. I need to go home.”_

_He froze, shoulders tensing as he took in her words, “You mean back to Massachusetts?” This was supposed to be her home._

_She gazed up at him with pleading eyes filled with tears. “No. I need to go_ home.”

_“I don’t understand. Are you breaking up with me? Felicity, talk to me!” Oliver begged._

_“I’m sorry.” Felicity moved around him and opened the door, the pouring rain assaulting her and mixing with tears as soon as she stepped outside._

_He watched her place her bag in the trunk of the cab before he sprang back to life and ran out to her, not even caring that the rain was ruining his expensive suit. “Felicity!”_

_She turned around to face him, wet hair sticking to her face and clothes clinging to her body. “This just isn’t working anymore. I’m sorry.”_

_His mind was reeling, trying to comprehend what was happening and not even realizing that tears were trailing down his cheeks. Clenching his jaw, his confusion turned to anger and Oliver managed to speak up over the sound of the pounding rain, “So I guess you’re saying goodbye this time.”_

_Felicity peered at him over her shoulder with pain and sadness and confusion of her own. Without responding to his words because she didn’t even know how, she climbed into the cab, ordering the driver to take her to the airport before settling back in the seat and burying her face in her hands, shoulders shaking with uncontrollable sobs._

_Oliver didn't know what to do. He was so hurt and angry and confused. Why would she do this? Why would she leave? When he was leaving QC tonight, he thought that he was coming home to spend the night with the love of his life. But he didn’t know that he’d be coming home to get his heart shattered and his entire life destroyed. Tears continued to leak from his eyes as he stood in the rain for what felt like hours, watching the cab drive away until it was out of sight._

 

* * *

 

**November 2017**

After finishing straightening his bowtie, Oliver sits down on the couch in the men's dressing room and takes a sip of his scotch. It’s Tommy and Laurel’s wedding day and Oliver is anything but relaxed, even though he is at the Starling City Boat Club where the wedding will be held outdoors in the beautiful gardens and afterwards, the ballroom for the reception. Right now, Oliver can’t enjoy what is supposed to be the happiest day of his best friend’s life because of one thing: Felicity Smoak. He still can’t believe he went to see her or that he even stayed as long as he did. He hasn’t been able to bring himself to ask her to explain herself again, more nervous to hear her answer than he thought. It’s been hard to try and build up the courage again because before, he was lost in the moment, being so close to her and realizing that she kept his t-shirt all these years. Which probably doesn’t mean anything, it’s a comfortable shirt. And now he is supposed to walk down the aisle and stand up at the makeshift altar with her. All with McKenna sitting in the crowd next to Thea and his mother; McKenna who also doesn’t even know that he went to see Felicity two weeks ago.

The door opens after a small knock sounds and one of the other groomsmen, some friend of Tommy’s from college named Matt, pokes his head into the room. “Hey, it’s time.” Oliver nods his head and sets down his drink, looking himself over in the mirror once more before making his way outside.

Felicity nervously picks at the petals of her bouquet, sitting on a bench waiting for the music to start. Oliver is on his way and then they’ll be walking down the aisle together, which just makes her think that this could've been them if she had made different choices back then. She glances up at the sound of her name being called, “What?” Her eyes water as Laurel stands in front of her in a floor length, embroidered wedding gown with her hair in an intricate up-do and impeccable makeup. “Oh, Laurel. You look so beautiful.” She rises, tugging her friend into a tight hug.

Laurel pulls away with a laugh, bringing her hands up to wipe underneath her eyes, “Don’t cry because then I’m going to cry, and we can’t ruin our makeup, okay?”

“Sorry, I’m sorry. You just make the most beautiful bride. I’m so happy for you guys.” She smiles after wiping away her own tears. Just as she lifts her chin, Oliver and the other two groomsmen who are going to walk Sara and Nyssa down the aisle come around the corner. Oliver meets her gaze and she sucks in a sharp breath before tearing her eyes away and looking at Laurel again, “Are you ready?”

The other woman smiles brightly at her maid of honor, “Hell yes.”

 

* * *

 

Oliver leans against the bar, nursing his fourth scotch of the night. The ceremony was beautiful, and you could feel the love thrumming between Tommy and Laurel. But from the second Felicity wrapped her arm around his to the minute they said ‘I do”, he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her. All he could do was imagine that it was her walking down the aisle to him, that it was them holding hands and exchanging heartfelt vows. There had been a time when that was all he wanted; to marry her and spend his life with her, loving her. But when she looked at him with so much regret and love and hope, all he felt was pain. Because he found himself wanting a life with her again, and he hated himself for it.

Thea comes up next to him, resting her elbows on the bar and pouting, “Why so glum, chum?”

Oliver exhales, “I’m not glum.”

“Yes you are. Ollie, you’ve been sitting here brooding ever since you gave your speech like, thirty minutes ago. McKenna is getting restless and I can only handle her for so long,” she jokes. When he just stares down at his glass, she grows concerned before realization hits her and she narrows her eyes at him. “I saw you.”

He turns to his little sister with an exasperated sigh, “What?”

“During the entire ceremony, you and Felicity never looked away from each other. C’mon, Ollie. You were obviously imagining yourself marrying her. Y’know, I really don’t understand why you don’t just dump McKenna and get back with Lissy. It’s obvious you guys are gonna end up together, so it might as well be sooner rather than later,” Thea shrugs and lifts a hand, flagging down the bartender from the other side of the bar.

Oliver knocks back the rest of his drink before standing, “I’m really not in the mood for this, Speedy.” He moves his look between his sister and the bartender that just arrived to take her order, “She’s underage.” Thea glares at him and grumbles something to herself as he walks away in need of some air.

Oliver is making his way towards the exit to the hall when Felicity appears in his path. He blinks down at her, and she looks so incredibly, effortlessly beautiful. “Hey.”

She smiles softly, nervousness in her eyes as they meet his, “Hi. You don’t have to say yes, but do you want to dance? I mean, you’re the best man and I’m the maid of honor so it’s kind of expected. But I know that that is probably something that you don’t want to do but I mean, I don’t really know what you want so you might want to but I --”

“-- Felicity,” Oliver cuts off her ramble like he’s done so many times before. “Of course I will dance you.”

She can’t help the look of surprise that crosses her face at his answer, “Really?”

A small grin tugs up the corners of his lips, “Well I mean, it  _is_  expected.” He offers his hand and pulls her to the dance floor to join the various other couples including the newlyweds along with Sara and Nyssa.

The song changes just as Felicity clasps her right hand in his, ‘Work Song’ by Hozier filling the space around them. She lifts her left arm to his shoulder before deciding to curl her hand around the back of his neck just as his settles low on her waist, and he brings their clasped hands closer to his chest.

_Boys workin' on empty_

_Is that the kinda way to face the burning heat?_

_I just think about my baby_

_I'm so full of love I could barely eat_

“That was a wonderful ceremony,” she tries to make conversation, her voice soft to accommodate their proximity.

Oliver’s voice is low as he glances down at her, “Yeah. You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she releases a small laugh, “I thought you don’t dance.”

“Guess it just depends on the partner,” the words slip past his lips before he can stop them, and Felicity looks up at him under long lashes before moving to look over his shoulder. “McKenna told me that you went and apologized to her. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes I did. Oliver, I just… I want you to be happy. And if she makes you happy then... “

“She does,” Oliver says quickly, almost like it’s an automatic response at this point.

Her look falls back on his and he notices that her eyes have become glossier, “Oh. That’s good. That’s all I want for you, Oliver.”

_There's nothing sweeter than my baby_

_I'd never want once from the cherry tree_

_Cause my baby's sweet as can be_

_She'd give me toothaches just from kissin' me_

Oliver nods his head softly before his attention focuses on her neck and suddenly, he can’t breathe. He gulps, “I gave you that necklace.”

She peers down at where her necklace dangles down her chest; she forgot that her dress is strapless so it doesn’t hide it from view. Her eyes meet his again and his expression is unreadable. “Yeah, you did.”

He lets out a disbelieving laugh before furrowing his brows slightly at her, “I can’t believe you kept that.”

“I never take it off.”

Oliver’s eyes connect with hers and everything else around him fades away like it always does when it comes to her. Every couple around them becomes a blur, and all he can focus on is her clear blue eyes boring into his under her long lashes. All his senses are suddenly heightened, and his hand starts to tingle where it’s clasped tightly in hers. The warmth of her waist reaches him even through the fabric of her dress. He breathes her in and she smells like that familiar mixture of lilac and vanilla. Everything quickly becoming too much for him, Oliver puts some distance between them. “I uh… I need some air.” He backs away from her, his hand falling from her grasp leaving hers hanging in the empty air. Taking in quick breaths, he pushes his way past various guests and out of the ballroom, entering the hallway and letting the door close behind him.

_When, my, time comes around_

_Lay me gently in the cold dark earth_

_No grave, can hold my body down_

_I'll crawl home to her._

Rapidly blinking away the tears forming in her eyes, Felicity watches his retreating form before making a decision. She gathers up the bottom of her dress and follows him, feet nearly running in her high heels in an effort to catch him. The door closes behind her and she slows her pace, Oliver standing just a few feet in front of her, trying to steady his breaths. Felicity knows that she can’t wait any longer; he needs to know the truth. “I found the ring!”

Oliver’s shoulders tense and he turns around to face her, his face showing that he is taken aback by what she blurted out. “What?”

“The ring. Five years ago, that night, I found it hidden in your drawer.” She takes slow steps towards him, her voice strong as she continues. “I didn't mean to. I was waiting for you and decided to clean up or put away laundry, I don’t know. But I found the little box in the corner of your sock drawer. I thought that it was a pair of earrings and I know that I shouldn’t have looked, but I couldn’t help myself. But when I opened it, I didn’t expect to find... the most  _beautiful_  diamond ring I have ever seen.”

He stands still as she moves towards him, leaving only about a foot or two between them. He doesn’t even know what to say, how to react. “You were never supposed to find that.”

She shakes her head lightly before grabbing one of his hands, “Oliver. I saw that ring and I freaked out. It was like I couldn’t think, I couldn’t  _breathe_. I never told you but I was struggling, a lot, with our relationship. The distance and our busy lives… we never had time for each other. I felt like we were drifting apart and I didn't know how to stop it, and that scared the hell out of me. But marriage? I was only nineteen! Thinking about going back to Massachusetts, living thousands of miles away, while being engaged to you? Or married? I panicked. I didn't know what to do, but I knew that I needed to get away before things happened that we couldn’t come back from. It wasn't right, I shouldn’t have run and I should’ve just talked to you but…,” a few tears leave a wet trail down her cheeks as she gazes up at him with so much passion and love in her eyes that it takes his breath away. “Oliver, I didn’t leave because I stopped loving you. I have never stopped loving you.”

Oliver takes in her words, considering them deeply and beginning to understand. He is so lost in the deep blue of her eyes that he doesn’t object when she steps closer to him, pressing her body up against his. He doesn't stop her from tilting her chin upwards and leaning in. And he doesn't stop her from connecting their lips because for the first time in five years, he feels like he’s finally coming home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	9. It's Not Exactly What You Had in Mind (Was It Only a Matter of Time)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

**_August 2012_ **

_Barry knocked tentatively on the door to Felicity’s room. He’d been worried about her; she went to her internship all day and when she came home, she’d go straight into her room and wouldn’t come out all night. He didn’t know the full details of what happened, but he did know that she and Oliver had broken up. “Felicity,” he called with no response. Barry knocked again, “Felicity, are you okay? You should come out of your room, get something to eat.” Still no response._

_At the sound of her door opening, Felicity buried her face deeper into the crook between her bed and the wall, her fingers curling tighter around the crumpled tissues in her hand. “Go away,” her words were hard to understand, voice muffled by the fluffy pillow against her face. She felt a shift next to her, Barry sitting down and causing a dip in the mattress. “I wanna be alone.”_

_“Felicity, I’m really worried about you. This isn’t healthy.” His voice was heavily laced with concern as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder._  

_“I don’t care. Just leave me here to drown in my own tears, okay?”_

_Barry sighed before standing up, “Nope.” He reached forward and ripped the comforter from her, causing her to spin around, leaning up on her elbows with her mouth hanging open._

_“What the hell?!”_

_“Felicity, this isn’t healthy,” he repeats, “It’s been three weeks and classes start soon, and you need to get out of bed. Now. We’re going to Jitters to meet up with Iris.”_

_“Why would I ever want to do that? So that I can watch you be all lovey-dovey with Iris when I destroyed the only good thing in my life?” She sat up slightly, leaning against her headboard and bringing a tissue to her face to wipe away the freshly falling tears._

_His face softened and he moved to sit next to her once more, gently laying a hand across her hand that rested on her knee. “Felicity, I don’t know what happened with you and Oliver, but I’m sorry. I know that you love him. But you can’t keep going on like this, it’s not you. You are one of the strongest people I have ever known, Felicity. So I know that you can get through this with your head held high like the fighter that you are.” She sniffled but didn’t say anything as she looked at him. “Now, let’s get you dressed and head to Jitters, okay?”_

_Felicity sniffled again and nodded before swinging her legs to hang off the side of the bed, “Okay.”_

 

* * *

 

**November 2017**

Felicity takes a step towards Oliver, pressing her body up against his. She leans up, not being tall enough to reach him despite her heels, and tilts her chin upwards. She decides to take a risk, closing her eyes and connecting their lips. Oliver doesn’t respond as he remains frozen in front of her but he also doesn’t push her away, so she deepens the kiss. She lifts a palm to his cheek and darts out her tongue, licking across the seam of his lips, and it’s like a trigger has set him off. He opens his mouth, allowing her entrance and their tongues tangle in a fierce battle. The warmth of his mouth makes her entire body tingle; it makes her feel safe and whole again, like a piece of her that was missing is finally home.

Felicity moves the hand that is placed on his cheek around the back of his neck, tugging lightly on the short ends of his hair, her other hand coming up and gripping the lapel of his jacket. Oliver detangles his fingers from where they somehow ended up in her hair and his hands travel down her back, ghosting over her ass before he squeezes roughly, pulling her hips up into his. Everything is happening so fast and before she even knows it, Felicity’s back is pushed against the wall, one of Oliver’s hands low on the small of her back and the other tangled in the soft strands of her hair. She detaches her lips from his, moving them to his jaw and kissing down his neck.

He tugs lightly on her hair, directing her lips back to his in a bruising kiss, all clashing teeth and tangled tongues. They're suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door from the ballroom opening, an upbeat song filtering through the air as a pair of drunken girls nearly fall into the hallway laughing. Oliver detaches his lips from hers, quickly stepping away from her while carefully managing to keep his head down and his back to the strangers.

She opens her eyes, brows furrowed and lips swollen. She leans back against the wall, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths, and offers a small smile to the two girls but they just take in the couple and curl into each other, lost in giggles until they make it to their intended destination of the bathroom.

His back still halfway turned toward Felicity, Oliver stands with his hands on his hips, looking down as he tries to catch his breath. He can’t believe he let her kiss him. Or that he kissed her back and let it go as far as it did. He lifts a hand and runs it over his face before chancing a glance at Felicity, who is leaning against the wall already looking at him. Her lips are swollen, purple lipstick nearly gone which causes him to raise a hand to wipe the remnants from his own lips, and her cheeks are flushed in obvious arousal.

“Oliver,” she starts, voice rough and she takes a step towards him.

He raises his hands, shaking his head slightly as he takes a step away and then around her. “I have to get back inside.”

Felicity furrows her brow in confusion and hurt at his reaction. “Oliver, can we talk about this?”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” His voice is emotionless and his shoulders tense before he starts to turn around and make his way back to the reception.

She looks down at the floor, nodding slightly in understanding. Felicity finally looks up and watches his retreating form for what feels like the millionth time and once the door is closed behind him, her back slides down the wall as the tears she’s been desperately holding in finally trail down her cheeks.

 

* * *

 

**One Week Later**

Since the wedding, Oliver hasn’t seen or spoken to Felicity; he can’t bring himself to face her. After their heated kiss was interrupted, he realized what he was doing and how wrong it was, even if it felt right. And it felt so,  _so_  right. Which only made him hate himself even more. Listening to her explanation after all these years, he found himself understanding. And that was…  _freeing_. Yes, he’s still irritated that she didn’t talk to him about her concerns with their relationship or talk to him about the ring that she was never supposed to find. But he gets it; he understands the fear and the confusion and the urge to run because he’s done it all before. When he first started to realize that he still had feelings for Felicity, he ran away from his relationship with Laurel with self-sabotage; he knew that cheating on her with Sara was horrible but it was like he couldn’t stop. When his relationship with Felicity started becoming serious, when his friendship with Tommy was threatened, he acted out and destroyed it himself. And at the time, he dismissed leaving for Europe as needing to spend some time in his normal life before coming back where everything will change. But the real reason was exactly what Felicity had accused him of when she first found out: he was running. The idea of taking over Queen Consolidated scared the hell out of him and he realizes now that going to Europe was his way of running from his responsibilities, of postponing them for as long as he could. So, he understands that she was scared and he understands why.

Felicity was never meant to find that ring. He wasn’t even planning on proposing to her at that point in time. When he’d gone to the vault, it had been in search of a present for her. But when he was looking around, perusing the different earrings and bracelets, he saw that ring. It was so beautiful and so…  _Felicity_. He knew then that Felicity was the girl that he would marry, a part of him had known that fact for years, so taking the ring -- the promise of their future together -- seemed like a harmless decision. She was never meant to find that ring.

Oliver maneuvers his way around the bar, stocking the shelves with different liquors. Tommy and Laurel had just left this morning for their honeymoon in Hawaii, and his best friend had asked him to look over the club while he was gone. Things at QC have been running smoothly lately, so he decided that he could afford to take a little time off when the week starts, today being Saturday.

Grabbing two bottles of whiskey, Oliver moves to the back of the bar. The sound of the door opening followed by heels clacking against the floor causes him to look over his shoulder, eyes momentarily looking up and down her body, taking in her long, smooth legs that are accentuated by high heels and a short skirt. Realizing what he’s involuntarily doing, he looks back at her face before straightening his back and turning back to the shelves. Felicity’s movements slow after she realizes the man is Oliver but she continues her trek to the bar, placing her shoulder bag on the bar top and untying the belt of her jacket, leaving the sides hanging open. He turns to her, “We’re not open.” He shows no emotion as he grabs two more bottles before stocking them.

Felicity narrows her eyes at him before taking off her coat, draping it across her bag and pulling over a stool to sit on. “I know. I’m looking for Tommy.”

“He’s not here,” he grabs two more bottles.

“Yeah, I realize that. Do you know where I can find him?”

“About 40,000 feet in the air considering he’s on a plane.”

She pouts, “Damn. I wanted to give him something before they left for Hawaii.”

“Well obviously, you can’t. Now if that’s all, we’re closed.” He turns his back to her, unable to see her intensifying glare as he focuses on shifting around various bottles just to busy himself.

“What the hell, Oliver?”

He turns around to find her no longer sitting and with her hands placed on her hips, fingers grazing the bare skin of her stomach due to her crop top. Oliver raises his eyebrows at her, “Excuse me?”

“Why are you being a dick? If anyone deserves to be angry, it’s me.”

He huffs a laugh, “And how exactly do you figure that?”

“I don’t know, maybe because you walked away after making out with me and have been ignoring me since?”

Face softening, Oliver sighs before placing his hands on the bar and leaning forward slightly. “You’re right. I’m sorry for being a dick.”

Felicity shifts her defensive stance, her glare fading slightly. “Oh. Okay. So… can we talk about what happened or are you going to walk away again?”

“That’s kinda funny coming from you,” Oliver laughs lightly, the attempt at a joke slipping past his lips before he can stop it. He realizes his mistake when Felicity’s face falls before she grabs her coat and purse, slinging them across her arm and walking towards the door. “Felicity, wait!” He starts after her in a light jog, making it in front of her and blocking her path, “I’m sorry. That was a stupid joke.”

Felicity huffs, “It sounded like you meant it.”

He runs his hands down her arms, meeting her eyes, “No, I didn’t. Felicity, I forgive you. I still don’t agree with the fact that you didn’t just talk to me, but I understand. And I forgive you. It’s in the past.”

She furrows her brows at him, “What? No. Oliver, you can’t just forgive me! After what I did, how can you understand? How can you --”

“-- Hey!” Oliver stops her, hands squeezing her wrists lightly. “Felicity, I forgive you because I know what it’s like to be scared. I forgive you because I know how easy it can be to run away. I forgive you because what you did is something that I’ve been doing my entire life. I forgive you because I lo --” he cuts himself off with a deep breath, blinking rapidly as he thinks over his words carefully. She gazes at him, trying not to appear hopeful at the words he’d almost let slip. “I forgive you because you’re important to me. And I’ve realized over the last couple months that I still need you in my life.”

Felicity’s eyes bore into his, glossy with unshed tears. “I need you in my life too.”

He offers her a small smile before remembering what happened between them at the wedding. He clears his throat, releasing her wrists and taking a small step back, just realizing how close they had actually been, “And about what happened…”

“You should be with McKenna.”

Oliver’s head shoots up and he stares at her, confused by her words. “What?”

Felicity wrings her hands together, trying to build up the courage to actually say what she’s about to say. “It’s clear that she makes you happy. That’s all I want for you. We were just… The moment was intense and it went further than it should have. But you should be with her. Maybe we can… Maybe we can try to be friends again,” she manages in a somewhat steady voice.

Oliver stares at her blankly, taking in her words before coming back to reality and offering her a small, understanding smile. “Yeah. Maybe we can.”

She smiles brightly at him, attempting not to let it show how hard that had been for her to say and how much it hurt that he agreed so easily. “Okay. I’m glad that we could talk things out,” she adds with a small laugh, “for once.” Oliver releases a small chuckle. “I actually have to get going. But I guess I’ll… see you later?”

He nods, “Uh, yeah. Yes, you will.” She skirts around him, walking out of the club and he watches her, the smile falling from his lips at the realization that she wants to be friends with him;  _just_  friends. It’s obvious to him now that her only motives were to make up with him, not to win him back. And that hurts far more than it should.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	10. Until That Day Comes Along (I'll Keep On Moving On)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**November 2012** _

_Oliver stirred, rousing from sleep with a sharp intake through his nose. His back was cold, sheets pooled low around his waist. He lifted his head, which was pounding heavily because once again he drank too much last night. Experimentally, he opened his eyes against the harsh light pouring in through the windows. Slowly he sat up and swung his legs over the side of his bed, his palm flattening over the now empty place beside him. He sighed, standing up and searching for any clothing to cover his naked body. Pulling on a pair of sweats, he made his way out of his room._

_Tommy sat at their kitchen table, eyes taking Oliver in with a slight nod as he shoveled a spoonful of cereal into his mouth. "It's about time."_

_He rolled his eyes, the action causing a jolt of pain to his head and he opened the cabinet in search of something to dull the ache. "Where's Holly?" he asked, his voice rough with sleep._

_"First -- her name was Hayley. And I saw her do her walk of shame a while ago."_

_Chugging what was left of the orange juice, Oliver shrugged, "Whatever. It's not like I'm ever gonna see her again."_

_Tommy sighed, rising from his seat to bring his empty bowl to the sink as he watched his best friend lean against the counter and turn on the tv to some random baseball game. "You gotta stop this, man. Getting wasted and hooking up with random girls every night? You're missing classes and close to failing your Statistics and Reasoning class, amongst others."_

_Already sick of the lecture that he'd already heard, he glanced at his friend with a clenched jaw, "Well I'm sorry that I got my heart shattered by an evil, soulless bi --"_

_"-- Hey, watch it Ollie," Tommy interrupted, a hand raised in warning. "I know that she broke your heart but Felicity --"_

_"-- Don't say her name," Oliver growled._

_He continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "Felicity is still my friend, so if you wanna talk shit about her, do it somewhere else. That's not okay with me."_

_Both men regarded each other tensely, neither wanting to back down before Oliver started moving, brushing past him with a weak, "Fine."_

_He returned a few minutes later fully dressed, leather jacket on as he grabbed the keys to his motorcycle from the table. Tommy called after his friend, "Where are you going? You have a class in twenty minutes!"_

_"I'm only doing what you suggested. You don't want to hear me talk shit about your precious 'friend'? Fine, I'll do it somewhere else. Thanks a lot, buddy," he finished sarcastically before slamming the door behind him._

_Tommy sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He needed to do something; he needed help._

 

* * *

 

_Felicity threw her half-eaten pizza slice into the cardboard box and stood from the couch at the incessant knocking, "I'm coming, I'm coming! Calm down!" She didn't know what she was expecting when she flung open the door, but it definitely wasn't one of her oldest friends, "Tommy?"_

_He flashed her his signature smile before stepping forward and enveloping her in a hug, "Hey Lis."_

_She returned the hug, albeit still very confused before pulling away, "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?"_

_Tommy sighed, "We need to talk. Can I come in?"_

_"Oh, yeah! Of course," she closed the door behind him and led him into the apartment, following him in sitting on the couch and gesturing weakly, "Do you want some pizza?"_

_"Nah, I'm good."_

_"So... what's up?"_

_"It's about Oliver." Tommy looked up at her sharp intake of breath. He took in her wide eyes and worried expression and lifted his hands before reassuring her, "He's fine, he didn't crash his motorcycle or anything like that."_

_She released a relieved breath, her heart starting again after she thought that something horrible might have happened to him. "Okay. Then what about him?"_

_"He's really... struggling. And Lis, I'm not gonna tell you all of this because I want you to feel guilty or anything. I'm gonna tell you what I'm about to tell you because I'm worried about him, and I need help. He won't listen to me and I don't know what to do or say to make him."_

_Felicity took in the seriousness of her friend's expression and sucked in a deep breath to prepare herself. "Okay. Tell me."_

_"Ever since you broke up with him, he's been a mess. He goes out almost every night, gets beyond wasted and hooks up with random girls. He is getting dangerously close to flunking out of SCU. One minute, he'll be saying bad stuff about you and the next, he'll be crying about how much he misses you. Lis, do you even want to know how many times I've had to stop him from calling and leaving you messages? I had to change your phone number to mine in his phone so that when he tried to call you, it would go to me. One night he left me twelve messages thinking I was you. One of which he spent forty-two minutes talking about every specific thing that he missed about you, my favorite part being the very descriptive eighteen-minute rant about different parts of your body, and then his body, and then your bodies together. Lis, I know I've seen you naked, but there are just some things I never wanted to hear my best friend say about my ex." Felicity cringed but didn't say anything. "I've had to drive to the heliport three separate times to stop him from coming to see you."_

_She looked at him, her eyes watering at the thought of Oliver like this and all because of her. "Thank you, but why? Why not let him call me and yell at me and make me feel guilty? I deserve it."_

_"Because as much as I'm trying to protect him, I'm trying to protect you too. I don't know what happened, but I do know_ you _. And I know that whatever the reason may be for you leaving like you did, it made sense to you. He's so blinded by hurt that he can't understand that. I know that this must be hard for you too, and the last thing you need is him making you feel even worse. Oliver thinks that I'm defending you, that I'm taking your side. I'm not; you should've talked to him and explained yourself because he deserves that. You ended things and walked out of his life without so much as a reason, and that was really shitty."_

_Felicity nodded, bringing her hands to her face to wipe underneath her eyes. "This kills me, you know? Hearing that he's been with other girls and about how hurt he is, how he's handling it. I never wanted him to risk his health or his education. He shouldn't throw that away because of me; I'm not worth it."_

_"But to him you are. Whether it's loving you or trying to hate you, he's committed to it. I'm just afraid that he'll fall so far down, he won't be able to climb back up."_

_"What exactly are you asking me to do Tommy? I can't go see him, if that's what you're after. I just can't."_

_"I figured. I just need advice, I guess. You know him better than anyone. Tell me what to do."_

_She glanced down at her lap, thinking hard before meeting his gaze again. Her voice was determined as she instructed, "Hate me."_

_Tommy furrowed his brows in complete and utter confusion. That definitely was not what he was expecting her to say. "What?"_

_"Hate me. If Oliver needs you to say bad things about me, then do it. Say_ horrible _things about me and just... be there for him. Hate me_ with  _him; don't defend me at all. He needs to feel like you understand, like you're on his side. Only then will he listen to you." As much as it killed her to think of him hating her, this is what he needed to get over her and to move on and be happy. And that's all she ever wanted for him._

 

* * *

 

**December 2017**

Felicity widens her stance, bringing her gloved hands up closer to her face, just in front of her chin. She throws her right fist forward in a jab, coming into contact hard with the flat mitt on Sara’s left hand. Felicity throws a couple more quick punches before taking a small step back and spinning. Sara barely deflects the aggressive roundhouse kick, the force sending the taller blonde stumbling backwards slightly.

“Whoa,” Sara raises an eyebrow at her friend, “Trying to kill me?”

Felicity drops her hands to her sides and sends her a sheepish look, “Sorry.”

“Okay, what’s wrong?”

The girls make their way out of the boxing ring, ducking under the ropes and climbing down the stairs. Since Felicity returned home, she’d decided to get back into boxing; she was really into it after her and Oliver had broken up because she found that it allowed her to let out all of her pent-up emotions. Sara has been training her at her and Nyssa’s gym, The League, for about five weeks now, but she has never seen the tiny blonde this fired up before.

Lifting her water bottle to her lips, Felicity balances it between her still gloved hands and drinks the cold liquid eagerly. She moves to hold it between her legs, sticking out her hands so that Sara can undo the velcro straps. “What do you mean? Nothing is wrong.”

“Really?” Sara tugs the other woman's hands free, tossing the gloves on the bench and picking up a towel to wipe at her sweat covered forehead. “I know you. And I know when something is bothering you. So, spit it out.”

Felicity sets her now half-empty water bottle on the bench with unnecessary force and a groan as she turns to face her, “Is there something wrong with me?”

The other blonde furrows her brows in confusion, “Huh?”

“I mean, there has to be something wrong with me, right?”

“Felicity, what are you talking about?”

“I kissed Oliver.”

Sara tilts her head slightly, raising her eyebrows so high they nearly disappear into her hairline. “You what? You guys kissed? When? Where? For how long? Was it good?"

"Okay, twenty questions. Yes, we kissed. It was at the wedding, after we danced together. I followed him outside and told him everything: why I left, how sorry I am, that I never stopped loving him. And then I kissed him."

"Well did he kiss you back? He's still with McKenna, you know." Sara swings a leg over the bench and lowers herself down, eyes never leaving her friend.

Felicity starts pacing slowly back and forth, "I know that, I do. And I'm mad at myself, because honestly? I didn't care. I didn't care that he had a girlfriend who was inside that could easily see us or that could get hurt from this. I knew it but I didn't care, because it was Oliver, and he was standing right there and looking at me like... like he used to. And I just... didn't care about anything else."

She nods in understanding, "So, again, did he kiss you back?"

"Yes. We kinda... ended up making out against the wall," Felicity glances at her friend with a guilty expression.

"Damn Lis, I never pegged you as the dirty type. I must say, I'm impressed."

She blushes and huffs a laugh, "Shut up. And if you think  _that_  is dirty, you should see mine and Oliver's sex tape."

Sara's eyes widen and her mouth falls open almost comically, "You guys made a sex tape?!"

The other blonde bursts into laughter, head falling back before she rolls her eyes at her friend, "I'm kidding! Or am I? I guess you'll never know."

She slaps Felicity on the leg with the back of her hand, "Don't think that this is over, I want to know about that tape." Sara sobers up her expression, "But back to the conversation at hand. So, he kissed you back and you guys had sex against the wall. What next?"

"Okay first -- we didn't have sex, much to my disappointment. We got interrupted by some stupid drunk girls. After that he just kinda freaked out I guess? He went back inside even though I wanted to talk. Then he ignored me for a week."

"So have you guys talked?"

"Yeah, we talked at Verdant last week. He said that he forgives me for everything. And I told him that he should be with McKenna."

Sara tilts her head and asks in a sigh, "What? Why on earth would you do that?"

"Because he was about to tell me that kissing me was a mistake and I couldn't handle that! He can say a lot of things to me but if I ever heard him say that, I don't even know what I would do. Probably  _literally_  drown in my own tears, Sara."

The taller blonde reaches out a hand, closing it around her wrist and pulling her gently to sit on the bench if only to keep her from walking a hole into the floor, "How do you know that's what he would've said?"

"I could see it on his face. Also, he was probably ignoring me because he didn't want to hurt my feelings by saying that he doesn't love me anymore. Which it's clear he doesn't."

"How do you figure? Cause from where I'm sitting it looks like he kissed you back and then avoided you because he is in a relationship but is confused because he still loves  _you_ , Felicity."

"No. He doesn't. Sara, I told him that I never stopped loving him. And he walked away. That was pretty much all the answer I needed. We agreed to try and be friends."

Sara looks at her friend, still not 100 percent convinced. "So is that why you nearly kicked off my head just now?"

"I just -- is there something wrong with me?" Felicity runs her fingers through her ponytail and groans, "I just feel like I'm in high school again. Like I'm stuck in the middle of some stupid love triangle that I apparently can't get out of! I'm 24 years old, this shouldn't be my life! I'm such an idiot, Sara. I should be married to Oliver with a million babies and a house and a dog right now but nooo, I'm the moron that ran away from the most perfect guy in the entire world because what? Because I got scared? That's pathetic!"

"Lis, you're not pathetic! You're a human being, you made a mistake! And let's not forget that Oliver isn't perfect, okay? He made mistakes too and what did you do? You forgave him and you still loved him. He was an idiot in high school, let's be honest here. He waited too long in asking you out in the first place, he cheated on Laurel with me -- which, okay, partly my fault -- he was a complete asshole when Tommy found out about you two and then  _he_  was the one who ran away first! So stop blaming yourself for being human. It's not right and frankly, it's starting to annoy me because you are not completely at fault for what happened to your relationship." 

Felicity stares blankly at her friend, processing her breathless rant, before flinging herself forward and pulling Sara into a bone crushing hug. "See,  _this_  is why you're my best friend."

"Really? I thought it was for my incredible good looks and biting wit."

"Don't ruin it," Felicity sighs wistfully.

Sara laughs before pulling out of the hug and standing, "C'mon. Let's go get something to eat."

Felicity places her hand in her extended one allowing the other blonde to pull her up as they make their way out of the gym and to the nearest cafe.

 

* * *

 

Oliver stands, looking over the city that’s been his home his entire life. Being here usually gives him a feeling of clarity, yet he stills feels as confused as ever. He hears the door open and approaching footsteps but he doesn’t turn around. “You got my text?”

“Of course. Wow. I haven't been here in years.”

Oliver looks over his shoulder at his best friend with a small smile, “I know. Guess we didn’t really need it.”

Tommy nods and walks forward, leaning against the railing next to Oliver and turning his head slightly at him, “So what’s changed?”

The taller man sighs, “Felicity.”

“I should’ve known. She always knew how to worm her way into people’s thoughts.”

“That she did. Though I don’t think she really tried, it’s just the way it is with her.”

Tommy laughs before looking at his friend seriously, “What happened?”

Running a hand over his face, Oliver looks down with guilt, “I kissed her. Actually, she kissed me but I kissed her back. Whatever. Point is, we kissed.”

The other man releases a low whistle, “Damn, Ollie. You still got it bad.”

“No, I just… It was at your wedding, and she asked me to dance and things just got intense, so I walked out. She followed me and finally explained why she left. Tommy, she found an engagement ring that I hid in my drawer.  _That’s_  why she left. She got scared because she thought I was going to propose to her.”

“Were you?”

He sighs, “Honestly? I don’t know. I mean, yes, I would’ve. Eventually. It’s not like I was going to do it that summer but I guess she thought I was. And that’s why she ran.”

“As far as reasons go, that seems like a pretty understandable one.”

“I know. Anyway, she told me that she never stopped loving me. And then she kissed me. And I kissed her back.”

“How far did things go?” Tommy’s voice is devoid of judgment; they could always be honest with each other and never fear being judged because chances were the other one had done the same thing at one point in time.

“Nothing further than just some intense kissing. But if these two random girls didn’t interrupt us, I honestly don’t know if I would’ve prevented things from escalating. And that scares the hell out of me.” He groans, scrubbing his hands over his face, “God, it’s been five years! Why does she still have such a hold on me? I don’t cheat; that’s not who I am anymore. But it was like I didn't even care. All I knew was that she was there and she was looking up at me with her gorgeous eyes and even though I shouldn't, I felt safe. Why is that? Why does she still make me forget everything around me even exists?”

Tommy meets his look, “Because she’s Felicity.” He says it like it’s the simplest thing in the world. Like her being  _her_  is the only explanation needed. That it’s just… the way it is. And maybe that’s true; maybe that’s the way it is and the way it always will be.

Oliver turns his face, eyes drinking in the bustling city beneath him that has always been home. Except maybe this city isn’t what made him feel at home, maybe it was just… her. And he just doesn't know what to do with that.

 

* * *

 

Opening the door, Felicity steps into Verdant, her heels clacking against the floor. She moves her eyes around the room, taking in the various workers setting up for the night until her eyes land on Tommy and she smiles. He’s standing with a clipboard, talking to what looks to be a delivery man before he notices her, excusing himself from the conversation and heading towards her with a wide smile. “Well if it isn’t my second favorite girl.”

She lays a hand across her chest, feigning hurt, “Second? Damn, my ranking is slipping.”

“Well, my wife is number one now,” he says the word ‘wife’ with the biggest grin Felicity has ever seen, causing her to laugh.

“Speaking of your  _wife_ _,_ I brought you something,” she reaches into her purse before pulling out a picture. “I was going through some old boxes when I moved to my new place, and I found this. I stopped by to give it to you the other week but you’d already left for Hawaii.”

She holds out the picture and Tommy sets down his clipboard on the bar before accepting it, his eyes shining and a grin spreading across his lips as he takes it in. It’s a picture of the four of them: him, Laurel, Oliver and Felicity. They took it the night of prom at the Queen Mansion where the girls had all gotten ready. Huge smiles on their faces, they all look so genuinely happy. It was one of their last big nights all together as a group and it is one of Felicity’s favorite memories. Tommy sets it on the clipboard before fixing his look back at her, “Thanks Lis. I love it. We were all such good friends, I miss that.”

“So do I,” feeling herself starting to get emotional, she smiles, “I actually have to go to a meeting. I just wanted to drop that off.”

“I’m glad you did because Laurel wanted me to ask you what you were doing for Christmas. I know you’re Jewish but you still celebrate it and with your Mom living in Georgia we figured you’d be alone. So, we want you to come to our place. It’s our first Christmas as a married couple so Laurel wants to go all out. Everyone will be there; Nyssa and Sara, Captain Lance, Moira and Thea,” his voice trails off and she knows why.

“Oliver and McKenna,” she finishes with a weak smile. “Thank you for the invite. I’ll think about it, okay?”

“Fair enough.”

Felicity turns and begins walking away before remembering another thing that she wanted to talk to him about. She pivots her feet, “Tommy.”

He looks up curiously from his clipboard that he was once again holding, “Yeah?”

“I’ve been meaning to tell you something. At that disastrous dinner a couple months ago, you said something that bothered me. You said that you didn't consider our relationship real because I wanted to be with Oliver the entire time. That couldn't be further from the truth. Tommy, you are one of my best friends and you always will be. But you're also always going to be my first real date. My first boyfriend. My first...  _first_. And that's important to me. I loved you, Tommy Merlyn.  _Please_  know that.” With a small smile, she continues her walk out of the club feeling a whole lot lighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	11. I Make Believe You're Still Around (It's Like We're Floating High Above the Clouds)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**January 2013** _

_Felicity was in desperate need of a piping hot vanilla latte. Being early January, Massachusetts was far too deep into the depths of winter for her liking. Having grown up in California, she wasn’t used to the drastic drops in temperature that usually accompany this time of year, even though she’d been living here for two and a half years. After first semester ended, Felicity went to Atlanta to spend Hanukkah and Christmas with her mom and stepdad, Michael. Second semester started a few weeks later with only one extra class in her schedule, so she’d found herself with a lot of downtime. Bored out of her mind, she was wandering around town when she’d stumbled upon a gym that offered boxing lessons, so she decided to give it a go. It turned out to be incredibly therapeutic; punching and kicking things helped her express all her pent up hurt and anger after her breakup with Oliver, making her feel lighter._

_She’d just come from a session with her trainer Sam, a kind man in his early thirties who pushed her to do better, fight harder, and she was thirsty. And cold. Opening the door to Jitters, she tugged her fingers free from her gloves, looking around as she shoved them in her jacket pockets. Felicity made her way to the counter, smiling at the young blonde working there, “Vanilla latte please.” She paid the girl and stood off to the side where people wait for their name to be called. She pulled out her cell phone, about to text Barry and ask what he was doing tonight, when she heard a deep male voice from behind her._

_“Felicity?”_

_She craned her neck, smiling at who she found, “Ray, hi.”_

_Ray tilted his head, having to look down at her because of his towering height. “Fancy meeting you here.”_

_“I know. How have you been? I haven’t seen you since our biotech class ended.”_

_“Pretty good. I’ve actually been wanting to call you. Look, I really enjoyed studying and hanging out together, exchanging ideas. And I really like you, Felicity. I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go out with me some time, on an actual date.” Ray raised his eyebrows and glanced down at her, hope in his eyes._

_Felicity’s mouth fell open in a silent gasp and she blinked at him before realizing what he just asked. She tilted her head with an apologetic look, “Ray, I really enjoyed getting to know you and becoming friends. And I would be lying if I said I didn't think about a possibility of being more than friends. But honestly, I’m still getting over a pretty bad breakup and I just don’t know if I’m ready to see someone else yet. I’m sorry.”_

_He smiled, nodding in understanding, “I completely get that. Maybe in the future, then.”_

_She opened her mouth to speak when the barista called her name, offering her latte to her. Felicity took it from the girl’s outstretched hand before smiling at Ray, “I’ll see you later.” She turned around, beginning her walk out of the coffee shop when she slowed her steps. It'd been nearly six months since that rainy night in Starling City. and Tommy had made it clear to her that Oliver was moving on, so why shouldn’t she? Taking boxing lessons had been good for her, offering her clarity and even a sense of peace, so maybe now was the perfect time to move on. Maybe Ray was the perfect guy to do it with; he was nice, and charming, and ridiculously handsome. Making a decision, she inhaled a deep breath and pivoted in place, “Ray?”_

_He looked up from where he was adding sugar to his coffee, “Yeah?”_

_Felicity smiled at him sweetly, “I changed my mind. I would love to go out with you.”_

 

* * *

 

**December 2017**

Felicity runs her hands over the front of her brand new black jumpsuit, nervousness coursing through her veins. She stands in front of Tommy and Laurel’s door, but has yet to knock. Tonight is supposed to be a happy occasion but here she is, completely dreading it. Yes, she and Oliver had agreed to try and be friends, but that doesn’t mean she wants to be stuck in a room all night with him and his girlfriend; it was bad enough the first time. Plus, she’s pretty sure that he hasn’t told McKenna about their mini make out session, because they’re still together and he doesn't have bullet in his face – cause, you know…  _cop_ _!_ Thea is also going to be there and things between the two girls have been a little strained after Felicity had kept her promise to Oliver and tried to talk to the younger girl. It didn't go well, to say the least; she gently brought up the topic and immediately Thea had jumped down her throat, accusing her of judging her just like her brother. Felicity apologized and explained that that wasn’t her intention, she was just trying to help because she cared. Thea said that it was okay and forgotten but still, the younger girl seemed more cautious around her, like she was always being scrutinized.

Rethinking her decision to come here and planning to just call Laurel with a fake cough, Felicity mutters to herself before turning around and colliding with a solid chest. She looks up with a stunned expression, wide eyes meeting crystal blue and it’s like all words have flown out of her brain. She blinks, glancing down at where her palms are still very much pressed against his chest, his skin hot even through his shirt.  _Seriously, guy is like a furnace!_  Her eyes flick back up to his and he smiles down at her. “Oliver. Hi.”

“Heeyyy,” he drags out the word and raises a brow at her, “Where you goin’?”

“Huh?” Felicity snaps back to reality and takes a step away, removing her hands from him and immediately feeling a chill at the loss of contact. “Oh! Uh, nowhere. I was about to go in but I thought I forgot something in my car, so I was gonna go out to get it and then I ran into you. But I don’t. Have to get something from my car, that is. So… I can go in…” her voice quiets as she finishes her ramble weakly.

He chuckles lightly, “After you then.”

She nods before turning around, mentally scolding herself for becoming a babbling mess around him. She lifts a hand, firmly knocking on the door. Oliver stands to her right as they wait awkwardly, still not completely sure of how to act around each other. Felicity feels warm, his body heat reaching her as his chest barely brushes against the back of her shoulder causing her to suck in a sharp breath at the little contact. Both are grateful when the door swings open to reveal Tommy. He glances between them, taking in the couple-y vibe, and a wicked grin spreads across his face. “Hey guys. Don’t you look cute.”

Felicity and Oliver look at each other, eyes slightly wide and mouths falling open before she feels a ramble coming on. “No we don’t. I mean, not like, in a _couple_ way. Just individually we do. Not that I’m like, full of myself or anything! I just put a lot of effort into my appearance and I like to think that I’m pretty. And obviously, he looks amazing. I mean, not that I noticed. It’s just like, a fact of nature. I mean... I just… This is just getting worse by the second. Why don’t you guys ever  _stop_  me?!”

Her rant dispelling all remnants of awkwardness from the air, both men chuckle before Tommy steps to the side to allow them entrance. “Because it’s so fun to watch you struggle, Lis. It makes my day.”

She glares at him and grumbles as she passes, “I hate you.” She makes her way to where the girls are standing in the kitchen, leaving the two men alone.

Tommy peers around the other man’s shoulder before closing the door, “Where’s McKenna?”

“She’s stuck at work. She should be here soon though,” Oliver answers, obvious tension and nervousness lacing his voice.

“I take it you didn't tell her?” At his furrowed brows, Tommy elaborates, “About the hot make out with your ex who she’s already jealous of.”

The taller man shoots a glare at his best friend, looking around to make sure none of the other guests are nearby, “Will you keep your voice down? No, I haven’t told her. There just hasn’t been a good time. And I know, that’s just what people say. But she’s been stressed with work and I just… I know that she’s gonna be mad, so I’m waiting for a good time.”

Tommy raises a brow, “Dude. I would  _not_  wanna be you. Felicity is a damn good boxer, and McKenna owns a gun.”

He fixes his supposed best friend with an incredulous look, “You are literally no help. Ever. You are never, ever any help at all.” He shakes his head, turning around and walking further into the loft in search of his mother and little sister.

Frowning, Tommy grumbles to himself, “I help…” He follows the sound of laughter coming from the women in the house to find them gathered around the island, glasses of wine in each of their hands. Laurel stands in front of the stove, lazily pushing around green beans in a pan. He saunters up behind her, planting a kiss to her cheek as a distraction for him to steal a small potato from the neighboring pan and popping it into his mouth. He grins at his wife’s halfhearted scolding and leans against the counter next to her, “So ladies. What are we talking about?”

“Just girl stuff,” Sara offers her brother-in-law with a wicked smirk.

“Is that code for ‘me’?”

The blonde chuckles, “You wish, Merlyn.” Tommy shakes his head, falling into a quiet conversation with Laurel and Sara turns to Felicity, Nyssa standing off in the living room engulfed in conversation with Captain Lance. “I saw you and Oliver come in together. What was that about?”

Felicity groans, taking a hefty gulp of the delicious red liquid that fills her glass. “I was rethinking my decision to come here so I turned around to leave and bam! I collide right into his big, hard, stupid chest. Damn him and his perfect physique,” she grumbles causing Sara to release a laugh. She turns a glare to her friend, “This is not funny, Sara. How am I meant to be friends with him when every time I see him I just want to climb him like a tree? I am lucky I have so much self-control!”

She raises an eyebrow, “Self-control? You’re kidding, right? This coming from the woman who just a few weeks ago kissed him, and who may or may not have made a sex tape?”

Felicity glances around frantically, “Shhh! No one is supposed to know about that!”

The other blonde looks at her pleadingly, “Lis! Did you guys make the tape or not?! I need to know!”

“I’ll never tell. But if we did --  _if_  we did -- then it was super hot and may have involved leather.” She chuckles at Sara’s expression before lifting a hand and forcibly closing her jaw, “Don’t do that, you’ll catch flies.”

Narrowing her eyes, she growls, “I’ll find it eventually.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Good luck with what?” Oliver’s voice interjects as he walks towards them.

Felicity’s eyes widen before she turns to him, trying to look natural, “What? Nothing.”

“She was wishing me good luck on finding your se --” her words are finished in a dull murmur as Felicity’s hand frantically flies to her mouth.

“On finding your seat! At the dinner table. She _really_ wants to sit by you, I don’t know. Sara’s weird. Ow!” Felicity pulls her hand away, cradling it to her chest, “You bit me!”

Sara grins before sticking out her tongue teasingly and his confused gaze flicks between the two tiny blondes. “Okaaayyy…”

Felicity grits out as she grabs her hand, “Let’s go talk to Thea.” She throws Oliver a hopefully normal looking smile before pulling Sara into the living room, leaving him utterly confused.

 

* * *

 

Thea stands in the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Turning on the cold water, she scoops some into her hands and splashes her face, leaning over the sink and letting the water drip down her chin. She grabs a towel, drying her skin and taking in her appearance once more. Deciding that she looks acceptable, she tucks the ziploc baggy back into her purse and opens the door, colliding with someone as she steps out. “Oh!” Her eyes roam over the blonde, “Sorry Lissy.”

“No, I’m sorry. I was about to knock to see if anyone was in there,” Felicity laughs before peering down, “Oh, you dropped your bag.”

“It’s okay, I can get it!” Thea’s eyes widen and she hurries to try to pick up the purse but is too late as Felicity retrieves it, grasping the plastic that fell out and standing.

Turning it around in her hand, she examines the bag filled with a couple oval shaped green and black pills. “Thea,” she looks up with furrowed brows, “What are these?”

The younger girl huffs and reaches forward, snatching her purse before trying to grab the pills, but Felicity moves them out of reach just in time. “Give them back,” she grumbles.

The blonde lifts her other hand, grasping Thea’s chin and forcibly turning her head from side to side to examine her closely, taking in her vacant eyes before the girl maneuvers out of her hold, “Thea, did you just take these in the bathroom? Are you  _high_ _?”_

She finally manages to get ahold of the pills, pulling the transparent bag close and shoving it deep into her purse. “Mind your own business, Felicity.”

While trying to brush past the older woman, she is stopped by Felicity’s hand closing around her wrist and yanking her back. “What is wrong with you?!” she whisper-shouts to convey her anger, careful not to alert anyone else of the conversation. “Your mother and Oliver are in the next room, as well as two police officers, and you’re popping pills? This isn’t you, Thea.”

“And how exactly would you know that? You’ve been gone for the last five years, you have  _no idea_  who I am. Felicity, you and Oliver aren’t dating anymore; you don’t have to pretend like you care about me. So why don’t you just leave me alone like you have been for  _five years_ _?”_

Felicity is taken aback by the anger in the girl’s tone. “Thea, I know that I haven't exactly been there for you in the recent past, but to say that I don’t care about you? That is  _so_  unfair and you know it. And this person standing in front of me is not the sweet, energetic, happy little girl that I love. You can’t continue on like this.”

Thea scoffs, “Oh yeah? And what exactly are you going to do about it?”

Straightening her shoulders, she doesn't back down, “I’ll walk right into that living room and tell Oliver. And by the look that just flashed across your face, you’d much rather be dealing with me than him.”

“Fine, tell him! But when I deny it, who do you think he is going to believe? His sweet, innocent baby sister that he loves more than anything? Or the liar who ripped out his heart and stomped it into a million pieces?” Felicity forces herself to suppress the cringe and hurt at her words, still refusing to back down. She must not have remained as passive as she thought because a smirk ticks up the corners of Thea’s mouth, “That’s what I thought. This never happened. Merry Christmas, Lissy,” she finishes sarcastically before turning on her heels with a flourish and disappearing around the corner.

Felicity blinks, trying to process what had just happened. She turns, entering the bathroom and closing the door behind her. She is going to need more wine tonight.

 

* * *

 

Once McKenna arrives, Laurel announces that dinner was finally ready. They all settle around the dining table with Captain Lance and Tommy at opposite heads, the oversized tree sitting impeccably decorated just a few feet away. Felicity stares at her food, trying to keep her eyes fixed down and not at Oliver sitting in the seat across from her. She can’t stop thinking about her altercation with Thea. The girl is in obvious need of help and despite her threats, Felicity is going to tell Oliver about what happened but not right now; it’s Christmas and everyone is happy, it will just ruin things. However, that doesn’t mean she isn’t afraid he’ll somehow be able to tell that she’s keeping something from him as soon as they make eye contact. He’s always been able to read her like an open book, and her with him, and no amount of time apart can change that. Thea's voice sounds from where she is seated to Oliver's left, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence they'd found themselves in, "Isn't this just perfect? All of us, together again. It just hasn't been the same without you, Lissy."

Felicity lifts her chin, eyes fluttering around to everyone before settling on Thea, trying not to appear tense as she forces a smile, "I don't know about that, but thanks Speedy."

The younger Queen groans, "I seriously hate that nickname. You and Ollie are the only ones who still call me that. And occasionally Tommy."

"Well  _Speedy_ _,_ it was a very accurate nickname. You used to chase after us all the time. It was adorable," Oliver smirks at her and she narrows her eyes. "And as long as you insist on still calling me 'Ollie', I'm afraid you're stuck with it."

"But 'Ollie' makes sense, it's  _in_  your name! And you've never objected to it before."

"He hates that name," Felicity finds herself saying with a small laugh. The quietness of the room making her realize she said it out loud, she looks up. Her eyes meet Oliver's and they're filled with something she can't completely place, something between surprise and fondness. "I could never call you that. It made me feel like I was with an eight-year-old, which was creepy."

A small smile tugs up the corners of his mouth, "My point exactly."

"Yeah well, I understand Lissy didn't want to call you that when you guys were like, having sex or whatever, but in everyday situations I think it's nice," Thea says casually.

Oliver chokes on his water, breaking out into a fit of coughs and Felicity stares wide eyed at her, cheeks turning a shade of bright red. She can’t believe Thea just said that.  _I guess that’s what being high will do to you._  McKenna shifts uncomfortably, hand going to Oliver's back to soothe his coughing.

"Thea!" Moira scolds.

She looks up innocently, her pupils dilated wider than usual, erasing the color from her eyes, "What? Oh, I'm sorry. Are we supposed to pretend that you two didn't date for nearly three years?"

"No, but you don't have to talk about it like that in a room full of people. There's such a thing as too much information," Felicity says through clenched teeth.

"Oh please, I'm almost sixteen. We're all adults here, we understand things. I mean, I was like ten years old when I saw you two doing some not-so-innocent things out by the pool."

Her eyes widen again, "Oh my god! You saw us?!" Her eyes flick to Oliver before she leans her hand against her forehead in shame, "Oh my god."

"Yeah, it was gross. A girl should never have to see anyone, let alone one of her friends, giving her brother a blow j--"

"-- Okay!" Oliver interjects with a nervous laugh. "We're done with this conversation. Tommy, how's the night club doing?"

Tommy takes in his best friend's desperate look and shifts in his seat, "Great, actually. Business is really booming and we're finally making a steady profit."

"That's wonderful, Tommy. And girls, how is the gym doing?" Moira directs to both Nyssa and Sara, who are sitting next to each other to Felicity's left, before taking a sip of her wine.

Nyssa offers the woman a smile, "Very well, thank you."

"I’ve been training Lis there for a few weeks," Sara nods to the other blonde.

"Oh? What have you been doing? I've been thinking about getting back into a steadier training routine," McKenna voices, surprising the two women.

"Just some boxing. I used to be really into it but got too busy with work," Felicity responds.

Oliver furrows his brows at her, remembering Tommy mentioning something about that earlier, "You box? Since when?"

"Uh, I started a couple years ago. It was a way for me to just... work through some stuff."

 _The breakup._ Understanding reaches him and he nods his head, trying to appear unaffected.

Laurel fills the silence by sucking in a breath and speaking up, her voice overfilled with excitement, "The funniest thing happened on our honeymoon! We were walking on the beach and this guy came over..."

Her voice trails off in Felicity's mind as she looks up at Oliver only to find him already staring at her. She offers him a small smile and a shrug of one shoulder at how the dinner has gone so far. He smiles, shaking his head lightly with a soft laugh before meeting her eyes again. She can do this; she can be friends with him. Felicity grabs her glass, draining it of the red liquid. She is  _definitely_  going to need more wine tonight.

 

* * *

 

It's almost midnight, but music is still playing loudly through the Merlyn household. Both Captain Lance and McKenna left about an hour ago, having to go into the police station for some reason or another that Felicity can't quite remember. Moira and Thea had gone home as well, the latter pretending to be feeling sick to hide the effects that whatever drug she took had on her.

Which is why Felicity is currently very drunk, arm slung around Sara's neck as they sing into the microphones of the karaoke set. Sara yells a particularly high note, voice pitchy because along with being equally as drunk, she isn't a very good singer to begin with. The girls giggle until the song ends and they fall back, sinking into the couch cushions together. Oliver leans against the island next to Tommy, Laurel standing at the sink washing dishes while Nyssa helps to dry them. "Why did we ever let them become friends?" Tommy questions.

Oliver chuckles, "I don't know but I suspect it will lead to the end of the world."

Nyssa wipes her hands on a towel before making her way over to Sara, pulling her up by her arms. "Alright sweetie, I think it's time to head home."

She falls forward, leaning heavily against her wife, "Okay." She extends a hand, clasping it firmly in Felicity’s with a smile, "Bye Flissy. You’re so pretty." Her voice is slightly slurred but wistful nonetheless.

Felicity offers a drunken goodbye before watching the women leave and attempting to stand herself. Oliver takes a step forward with his hands outstretched when she stumbles, teetering on her heels before righting herself. "I'm - I'm gonna go too. Laurel, the food was so good I feel like I'm pregnant... but that's impossible," she breaks into a fit of giggles as she tries to make her way to the woman but trips over her own feet, falling into Tommy's arms.

He laughs, "Whoa there Lis, you're not going anywhere. You can't drive."

She gazes up at him, bottom lip jutted out in a pout before Oliver interjects, "I can take her home. She can get her car tomorrow."

Her eyes light up, "Yeah!" She looks at Tommy like he's the stupidest person in the world, "Ol-ver can take me home, duh! He's really strong," she stage-whispers the last bit causing both men to laugh.

"Alright. Thanks for coming tonight, Lis. Make sure to drink lots of water. And Merry Christmas. Or Happy Hanukkah for you," Tommy places a kiss to her cheek before handing her off to Oliver.

"I'll take care of her," he assures over his shoulder and starts towards the door, right arm wrapped around her waist as she clings to him. She buries her face into his chest, inhaling his scent with her eyes closed and a dreamy smile on her face.

“You smell so good. Like happiness… and the woods.”

Oliver chuckles, “Thank you.” He steps in the elevator, pushing the ground floor button and holding her up as they ride down nineteen floors. “We’re gonna head to my car now, okay?”

They step outside, the cool night air causing goosebumps to litter her skin and she shivers. Oliver skillfully manages to transfer his jacket onto her while keeping her upright, and she peers over his shoulder, taking in the Jaguar parked near the sidewalk. She pouts, “Where’s your bike thingy?”

“My motorcycle? I didn’t drive it tonight.”

“Oh, boo! I love your thingy,” she freezes and then starts giggling into his shoulder, “That sounded so dirty.” Oliver laughs as he opens the door, situating her inside and buckling her up before making his way to the driver’s seat. Felicity pulls his jacket tighter around herself, nuzzling her nose in the collar, breathing him in and humming to herself in content.

Luckily Felicity seemed to have fallen asleep on the car ride, so it is silent until Oliver parks outside her townhouse, climbing out and walking around to her side. He opens the door, leaning in to unbuckle her seatbelt. He gazes at her face, smiling to himself at how peaceful she looks; she is so beautiful. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he gently tries to wake her so she’s aware that they’re at her house, “Felicity. We’re home. I’m gonna carry you inside, okay?” She moves her head to the other side, pushing her cheek against her shoulder and murmuring incoherently, and he shifts his stance to loop one arm around her back and the other beneath her knees. Tossing her clutch onto her lap and lifting her out of the seat, he kicks the door shut and makes his way up the front steps before realizing that he doesn’t have a key. “Shit,” he mutters under his breath. “Felicity. Felicity, baby, I don’t know where your keys are,” he whispers, the familiar term of endearment falling from his lips without even thinking about it.

“Hmmm?” her eyes flutter open.

“Your keys. We’re at your house. Are they in your bag?”

“Oh,” she wraps her arms around his neck for support and she leans up, craning her neck to search around her. Eyes landing on a hanging potted flower, she points to it. “In there.”

“Okay, can you stand?”

“Yup. Yes,” she wriggles in his grasp until he places her on her feet, keeping one hand on her warm hip to steady her. He reaches up, pulling out the key attached to a little computer keychain causing him to release a small laugh. “Do you - do you renember your - your eighty-enth birthday?” she slurs.

“My eighteenth birthday? If you’re referring to the surprise party you and Tommy threw me even though I hate surprises, then yes. I remember.” He unlocks the door, replacing the key before helping her inside.

“And we - we had the fight thingy in the pool. The animal fights. What’re they called?”

He chuckles, “Chicken fights. Where’s your bedroom?”

Felicity nods her head vigorously, briefly lifting a hand to point down the hallway, “And then - then we went up to your room. And I gave you your present,” she falls into a fit of giggles, her breath hot against his neck. The feeling, as well as the memory of  _exactly_  what his present had been, causes him to suck in a sharp, unsteady breath.

They reach her bedroom and he sits her down on the edge of the bed, kneeling to the hardwood floor and pulling off her heels. “Can you change your clothes while I get you some water?” At her jerky nod, he stands, making his way to the kitchen after throwing one last glance over his shoulder to make sure she’s okay.

Oliver returns to her room with a tall glass of ice water in his hand and when he looks up, her naked back is to him, a pair of lacy black panties visible as she struggles to get her legs out of her jumpsuit. His eyes widen and he quickly turns his back, “Felicity, please put some clothes on.”

“I can’t get this stupid outfit off! Ol-ver, it’s trying to kill me; I can’t get it off! Help!” her voice is frantic.

“I - Felicity, you’re topless.”

“It’s not like you haven’t seen it before, just help me! I’m scared, it has my legs!”

He takes a deep breath, placing the cup on her dresser before turning around. Felicity has fallen backwards on the bed, her legs frantically kicking in the air to try and free herself. “Okay, stop moving. I’m coming.” He quickly steps towards her, grabbing onto her legs while trying to keep his eyes ticked upwards as her naked breasts bounce with her movements. Taking in deep breaths, he feels a mixture of awkwardness and familiarity as he pulls the soft, black material from her legs.

Once Felicity is rid of the offending item of clothing, she breathes out a sigh of relief, “My hero…”

Stomach fluttering at her words, he turns toward her dresser, reaching in and pulling out the first t-shirt he can find -- which just so happens to be his grey one. He backs up towards her, holding out the shirt until he feels her tug at it. After a minute, he chances a slight glance over his shoulder to find her sitting, finally clothed, and staring at him. Oliver moves, “Let’s get you in bed, okay?” She scoots backwards towards the headboard and he pulls back the comforter, allowing her to settle underneath the sheets. “Goodnight, Felicity,” he smiles at her before starting to retreat from the room only to stop when he hears her soft voice.

“Ol-ver?”

He rushes back to her side, worried that she may be feeling sick, “Yeah? Are you okay?”

“I’m perfect… Can I - can I tell you something?”

Smiling softly, Oliver sits on the edge of the bed, angling his body towards her and raising a hand to tuck a stray piece of hair that's fallen over her eyes behind her ear. “You can tell me anything.”

Felicity stares longingly up at his face, eyes glossy and she raises a hand to his cheek, running her fingers lightly through the stubble covering his jaw. She lets out a dreamy sigh and her voice is barely above a whisper even in the silence that surrounds them, “You still make me feel tingly all over…”

His breath hitches in his throat as he remembers when she said that, calling him the night before leaving for MIT. Blue meets blue as her eyes bore into his with extreme intensity, filled with nothing but what can only be described as complete and utter love. Her eyelids start to droop as her fingers continue to thread through the hair on his cheek, moving her thumb to lightly graze over his bottom lip before falling to drape over her waist. Felicity turns her face further into her pillow and moans softly as her eyes finally fall shut, drifting into sleep. Oliver releases a breath he didn’t realize he was holding as he takes her in; her plump lips, her soft, milky skin giving off an air of complete relaxation. He stands to leave but before he does, he can’t resist reaching out a hand, index finger curling and gently tracing over the line of her cheekbone. Leaning over the side of the bed, his face stops inches from hers and he closes his eyes, breathing in her familiar scent. Oliver erases the remaining distance between them, connecting his lips to the top of her forehead with palm cradling her cheek, and she releases a contented sigh at the feeling. “Sweet dreams, Felicity,” he breathes against her skin before standing upright and walking away from her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	12. The Way That It Was Before (It's All That You're Looking For)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**February 2013** _

_Oliver lifted his glass, knocking back his first tequila shot of the night. He turned to the girl at his right, who already had a few drinks in her and was heavily flirting with him. He flashed his classic playboy smile, “So, Katie. What are you doing out tonight?”_

_The blonde peered up at him with a smile, hand slowly running up and down his forearm and nodding over her shoulder at a drunken group of girls. “I’m here with some friends celebrating my birthday.”_

_“Oh? Happy birthday,” he inched closer and rested a hand on her exposed knee._

_“Thanks, but it was actually on Monday, the 23rd.”_

_Oliver took in what she said and his smirk dropped, wracking his brain for why the date sounded important. “Wait. Today is the 25th?”_

_She furrowed her brows at his expression, “Yeah. Why?”_

_“I have to go.” Oliver stood abruptly, moving around her and almost running out of the club. Everything around him became white noise, his heartbeat thumping wildly in his ears. He hopped on his motorcycle, speeding away from the curb and to the one place where he’d always felt safe. It took twenty minutes for him to pull into the driveway of the Queen Mansion, hopping off his bike so quickly he nearly knocked it over. Darkness surrounded him, but he walked the long-since memorized path around the house and through the backyard, passing the swing set that Felicity had once deemed ‘their spot’. He slowed his steps, the large grey headstone coming into view. Coming to a halt before it, he sucked in a sharp breath as his eyes scanned over the barely visible letters. He couldn’t believe that he didn’t remember._

_Today was February 25th. His father’s birthday. And he forgot._

_Oliver felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes and he kneeled, hand reaching out and fingers gently grazing over his father’s name. He’d been so entranced in partying and becoming dangerously close to flunking out of SCU that he actually forgot Robert’s birthday. Tears streamed freely down his cheeks, letting all his pent-up emotions out; all his pain and anger and regret over_ everything. _He sat there for hours in the dark, leaning against the hard stone and whispering the words ‘I’m sorry’ over and over again. In letting his hurt over Felicity get the best of him, he let his father down. Robert’s last wish was for him to graduate and carry on his legacy by taking over the company, and he had failed. The damage to his grades could be irreversible at this point, and he’d taken advantage of all his relationships, pushing away Tommy, Moira, and Thea. This path he was going down with the partying and the drinking and the women had to end. His father believed in him, believed that he could thrive; he trusted him. But Oliver was done failing. From this point on, he would turn his life back around; to honor his father’s wishes, he had to become someone else. Someone that could make Robert Queen proud._

 

* * *

 

**December 2017**

Rolling over to push her face further into the pillow, Felicity groans, a thudding pain behind her eyes delaying her from opening them. After a few minutes, they flutter open and she shuffles, pushing herself up onto her forearm. They sting and she immediately feels her contacts awkwardly moving as she blinks. Reaching to her nightstand, she grabs the cases and removes the dry lenses from her eyes. Blinking the blurriness away, she reaches over and grabs her go-to glasses, settling them on her nose. Felicity glances down at herself, fingering the bottom of the grey t-shirt she is wearing in confusion. Her eyes scan the room, indeed recognizing it as her own before landing on her nightstand to find a tall glass of water, two aspirins, and a note. Popping the pills into her mouth, she takes a hefty gulp before lifting the note, squinting to read it in the dull lighting around her.

 

> _Felicity,_
> 
> _Last night was… interesting. I have never seen someone struggle so hard to change their clothes -- I forgot how funny you get when you're drunk._
> 
> _Take these when you wake up. I made you a smoothie -- raspberry, your favorite -- and put it in the fridge. Feel better!_
> 
> _Oliver_

Her heart flutters as her eyes scan over the familiar handwriting and suddenly the entire night comes rushing back to her. Thea. Dinner. Karaoke. Standing practically naked in her bedroom with Oliver. Oh god. She doesn't remember exactly what she said, but she no doubt made a complete fool of herself around Oliver last night. It was bad enough when she was sober, but when she was drunk? Her rambles were filled with an excessive amount of giggles and sexual innuendos. Felicity groans, smashing her face back into her pillow in embarrassment.

She sits up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and right hand flying to her forehead at the sudden surge of pain. She stands, gripping the corner of the nightstand to steady herself. Slowly shuffling her bare feet out of her room, she makes her way to the kitchen, eyes spotting her clutch on the couch and retrieving her phone. Opening the door to the fridge, she pulls out the large pink smoothie and sucks the thick straw into her mouth, moaning at the sweet taste. She leans her hip against the counter, greedily gulping down her drink as she flicks through her several voicemails. One is from Laurel telling her that she hopes she feels better and that they can bring over her car whenever. The next one is a quick message from her mom, and the last is from Barry, apologizing for being late on wishing her a Happy Hanukkah and saying that he and Iris miss her a lot.

Frowning when the messages are done, she thumbs through her contacts before landing on the familiar picture and pressing the call button. It rings for a few seconds before his voice answers, " _Hello?_ "

She tries not to sound too giddy that he actually answered, "Oliver, hey. It's Felicity."

_"Hey, how are you feeling?"_

"Like a car ran over my head," she groans and hops up to sit on the counter, taking another sip of her already almost-gone smoothie.

Oliver chuckles over the line,  _"Yeah well, together I think you and Sara drank two entire bottles of wine. And you're both lightweights."_

"Hey, we can't help it that we're tiny blondes, okay?" At his laugh, she looks down and smiles, biting her bottom lip. "I wanted to thank you. For taking care of me last night. You didn't have to do that."

 _"Felicity, I'll always take care of you,"_  he responds easily, almost like it's the most natural thing to say. She sucks in a sharp breath and her stomach flutters at his words before she hears him clear his throat, obviously not having meant to say that.  _"I uh, I was happy to help."_

The conversation falls silent and Felicity plays with the hem of her shirt --  _his_  shirt. "Well, thank you. And I'm sorry for anything that I said last night. Whatever is left of my brain-to-mouth filter completely disappears when alcohol is involved. I probably didn't mean anything."

Oliver sighs at her words, taking a while to answer and she has no idea why. Maybe she said something really horrible last night.  _"It's okay. It was \ basically you laughing and making innuendos. Nothing I can't handle."_

She puts a hand to her forehead and closes her eyes with a groan, "Did I hit on you? I vaguely remember being topless. Please tell me I didn't like, proposition you or something, because that would be mortifying."

He laughs,  _"No, you did not. You just had some trouble freeing your legs from your jumpsuit. You said that you were scared because it was trying to kill you."_

"Oh god, I am so sorry."

_"Like I said before, I was happy to help."_

Felicity nods her head, biting her lip before suddenly remembering her conversation with Thea last night, "I hate to ruin this lovely recollection of my embarrassing behavior, but I have to tell you something. Last night I ran into Thea coming out of the bathroom and she dropped a bag of these pills, I think she took some. She threatened me when I said I'd tell you, but you deserve to know."

He sighs, and she can just picture him running a hand over his face,  _"She is unbelievable... Thank you for telling me, I'll handle it."_

"I'm sorry, Oliver."

_"Don't be, it's not your fault. Like she said during her inappropriate speech that makes a whole lot more sense now, she's almost sixteen. She makes her own choices."_

"I know, I'm just... I'm sorry anyway. I know how much you love her and how much it must kill you to see her like this."

_"Yeah, it does."_

She hears the sadness in his tone and wishes she were with him, wishes she could wrap her arms around him in comfort. But she can't do that anymore; he has someone else for that. She sucks in a breath, "Well, I should let you go. Thank you again for bringing me home and for the smoothie -- which was delicious, by the way."

 _"Thank you,"_  he laughs.  _"Felicity, I hope you know that I'm... I'm always gonna be there for you."_

Feeling tears start to prick at the corners of her eyes, she manages, "Yeah. I know."

_"I'll see you later. Goodbye, Felicity."_

"Bye," she offers before hanging up. She locks her phone, placing it on the counter and sighing before hopping back to the ground and heading into her room to get ready for the day.

 

* * *

 

Oliver opens the door to the Queen Mansion in search of his little sister. He rounds the corner to the staircase, taking the steps two at a time until he reaches the top. Making his way through the hallway, he approaches Thea’s door, knocking lightly and opening it when he hears her faint voice yell to come in. She is standing at her desk, stuffing her wallet and cell phone into her bag, and she peers over her shoulder, offering a wide smile. “Hey Ollie, what’s up?”

He moves further into her room, “Where are you going?”

“Oh, the mall with Britt and a couple other friends. They want to buy me a new dress for my birthday party in two weeks. Has Mom talked to you about what she’s getting me yet? Because I’ve been dropping hints about this convertible that I really want for like, two months. Also, you’re coming to my party, right? It’s at Verdant and don’t give me that look because Tommy already made it clear that he won’t be serving alcohol, which is a major bummer, but it is what it is. I should invite Lissy too,” she says rapidly.

Oliver stares at her, “I don’t know if Felicity would want to go considering what happened at dinner yesterday.”

She gulps before slinging her bag over her shoulder and turning to him, fixing him with a confused expression, “What do you mean?”

“Don’t lie to me, Thea. Felicity told me about the pills you took and how you threatened her so that she wouldn’t tell me.”

Thea chuckles, “Ollie, that’s ridiculous! Why would you even believe her? She’s a liar.”

“No she isn’t. The only liar right now is you. What did you take?”

“Nothing,” she grits out.

He narrows his eyes at her, taking a few steps closer and she shuffles between her feet at his close inspection. “You’re high right now, aren’t you?”

Thea looks away, biting her bottom lip.

“Thea. What did you take?” Oliver asks through clenched teeth, his anger rising.

She turns her head back to him with fire in her eyes, ‘Why do you even care? God, you and Felicity just think you’re so much better than me. All you do is judge me instead of spending time with me.”

“Thea, I’m your brother and I love you. I want you to be healthy and safe and happy, and this isn’t the way.”

“Well I don’t care! You may be my brother but you are _not_ my father, so stop telling me how to live my life!” Oliver is taken aback by how loud she yells before pushing him aside and making her way out of the room. He is left standing there, releasing a sigh and running a hand over his face. Thea is falling fast and he doesn’t know what to do to stop her from crashing.

 

* * *

 

**January 2017**

Hearing a knock on his door, Oliver turns his head and pauses the baseball game he is watching before rising off the couch. He makes his way to the door, swinging it open and he is unable to hide his shock at the unexpected visitor. “McKenna.”

McKenna makes a face at him before smiling and kissing him on the cheek, moving into the apartment, “Were you expecting someone else?”

“What?” he shakes his head, closing the door and facing her, “No, I just didn't know that you were coming over tonight.”

“I know. I feel like we haven’t seen each other in forever, I miss you.” She bands her arms around his waist and leans up to place a kiss to his lips.

He kisses her back for a few seconds before pulling away with guilt, hands gravitating to loosen her grip around him and staring down at her, “We need to talk.”

She chuckles and tugs him to sit on the couch, “Okay. What’s up?”

“I have to tell you something. McKenna…,” Oliver takes a deep breath to build up the courage to confess what’s been gnawing at his conscience for weeks. “I kissed Felicity.”

McKenna stares at him blankly before her expression morphs into one of pure anger, and she stands abruptly, “You  _what_ _?!”_

“Felicity kissed me. And I didn’t stop her.”

She paces back and forth with one hand on her hip and the other on her forehead, inhaling deep breaths. Oliver sits there watching her, not knowing what to say and not wanting to make things worse. After a few minutes, she faces him. “It didn't mean anything, right?”

Oliver doesn’t know what to say. He wants to tell her no, that it meant nothing to him. But he can’t lie to her face. Because when he kissed Felicity, when he wrapped his arms around her waist and she lifted her palm to his cheek, he felt something. When he carried her home, when she looked at him with eyes full of love and he pressed a kiss to her forehead, he felt something. He just doesn't know exactly what that something was. Gazing up at her, he sighs, “I don’t know.”

She glares at him before repeating back slowly, “You don’t know.”

“I - I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen but it did, and I…” his voice fades.

“God, I _knew_ that she was after you! She’s such a bitch!” He clenches his jaw at her words, wanting to jump in and defend Felicity, but he doesn’t want to make her angrier than she already is. “So you lied to me. When you said that you were over her, you lied to my face.”

He rises to his feet, “No I - I wasn’t lying. I thought that I was over her, that my feelings were completely gone, but… I don’t know anymore. I don’t know what I feel for her or --”

“-- For me,” she concludes. “You don’t know what you feel for me.”

“McKenna, I care about you. So much. You have been extremely important in my life for the past year, and you’ve helped me realize that I can move on and be happy. But Felicity coming back after five years has been messing with my head, and I just… I don’t know what I feel right now. I think it would be best for me to just… have some time to myself.”

McKenna’s face softens and she looks at him, “Oliver, I love you. And I understand that you’re confused and need to be alone. I hope you figure things out and when you do, maybe we can talk and try again.”

He is surprised by how understanding she’s being, considering her reactions thus far regarding his relationship with Felicity. Oliver nods his head lightly and watches her walk out of the loft, leaving him with a lot to think about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	13. Use Your Mind and Make It Talk (Cause in This World It's All You've Got)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **warning:** this chapter contains smut

_**March 2013** _

_Felicity flipped the page of her textbook, pencil securely between her lips as she read over the summary of sorting algorithms, leaning back on the couch cushions in the nearly empty lounge. She felt a pair of eyes on her and lifted her head, shifting slightly on the couch and dropping the pencil from her mouth. "Stop staring at me. We're supposed to be studying."_

_"I'm sorry. It's not my fault my girlfriend is incredibly distracting," Ray smiled at her, closing his book and setting it down beside him._

_She chuckled, "You realize that you don’t need to try to charm me anymore, I’m already dating you.”_

_“That is very true,” he reached out a hand, pulling her towards him and into his lap. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t still be charming. I mean, it just comes naturally to me at this point.”_

_Felicity raised an eyebrow and smirked at him, “Well, I wouldn’t go that far.”_

_“How dare you,” he opened his mouth in shock before moving his hands to dig into her sides, tickling her._

_She squirmed in his lap, giggles bubbling past her lips. “Ray! Stop!” she gasped out between breaths, her eyes watering from laughing. The sound of a throat clearing from a few feet away slowed his movements and Felicity craned her neck, her mouth falling open in shock, “Tommy?” She scrambled off Ray’s lap, righting her shirt that had ridden up slightly and moving towards Tommy. He stared between the two with a blank face while a smile pulled at her lips and she wrapped her arms around his neck, “What are you doing here?”_

_Tommy’s arms circled around her waist, hugging her back while keeping his eyes locked on Ray. “My dad wanted me to come on a business trip with him and when I found out it was in Boston, I figured why not come see one of my best friends. I went by your apartment and Barry said that you’d be here.”_

_She pulled away and pushed her glasses higher up on her nose, “I can’t believe you're here. I’ve missed you.”_

_“I missed you too,” he smiled down at her briefly before looking back over her shoulder, “Who’s your friend?”_

_“Oh, right! Um, Ray, this is Tommy Merlyn. He’s one of my closest friends from back home.”_

_Tommy took a step closer to the other man, extending a hand. “Nice to meet you. Roy, is it?”_

_“Ray, actually. Ray Palmer, Felicity’s boyfriend,” Ray smiled despite feeling slightly uncomfortable as the other man looked him up and down with a critical eye._

_He raised his eyebrows, shaking his hand and turning to look at Felicity, who was biting her lip out of nervousness for his reaction, “Boyfriend, huh?”_

_“It was really great to meet you Tommy, but I actually have to get going,” Ray gathered up his books and moved towards Felicity, placing a small peck to her lips, “I’ll call you later.”_

_She smiled, “Yeah.” She watched him leave before turning to Tommy, “So how long are you in town for?”_

_He raised a brow at the blonde, “Really? That’s what you’re going with?”_

_“Tommy,” she sighed, moving towards the couch and stuffing her books into her bag._

_“You’re dating that guy?_  That _guy?” he laughed, “C’mon Lis. For how long?”_

_“Three months. What? What’s wrong with him?”_

_“He’s - he’s too tall for you,” he offered lamely._

_“Tommy.” She fixed him with a look before moving past him knowing he would follow._

_“I’m serious!”_

_She half-turned while continuing to walk toward the exit, “Tommy Merlyn, are you jealous?”_

_He scoffed, “That is ridiculous. I am happily with Laurel. I just didn’t realize that you were dating again.”_

_“So that’s what this is about. Oliver.” She took his lack of a response as her answer. “You made it pretty clear the last time you were here that he’s moved on, so why shouldn’t I? Just because I’m the one who ended things, that means I don’t deserve to be happy with someone else?”_

_Tommy reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, turning her toward him. He sighed and tilted his head, “That’s not what I meant, Lis. Of course you deserve to be happy. It’s just… After everything that we all went through, it’s just weird that you guys aren’t together.”_

_Felicity nodded before glancing at the floor, her voice quiet, “How is he?”_

_“Better,” he sighed. “I don’t know what it was but one day he was just… better. He started trying harder in his classes, stopped partying and drinking. He’s been doing good.”_

_“Good. I’m happy for him. And for you. Laurel is great,” she smiled._

_A giddy smile spread across his lips, “Yeah, she is.”_

_Felicity laughed and rolled her eyes, bumping her shoulder into his, “Okay lover-boy. Let’s go get something to eat.”_

 

* * *

 

**January 2018**

Thea sways her hips, raising her hands above her head with a huge smile on her face. Today is her 16th birthday and it’s been the best day ever. She went to the DMV first thing in the morning, passing her test with flying colors leading to Moira giving her the keys to the brand-new convertible that she’s been wanting. And now she is dancing in the middle of Verdant wearing a sparkly, extremely expensive new dress with all her friends. The only negative is that Oliver has been standing at the bar for the last hour watching her with a very critical eye. The siblings haven’t spoken since their fight twelve days ago.

Her movements slow when her eyes move to the entrance and land on Felicity. Thea offers an excuse to her friends before making her way over to the blonde, “Lissy!”

She cranes her neck over her shoulder, fully turning around when the younger girl approaches her. “Thea. Happy birthday.”

“Thank you.” They fall into an awkward silence, the older woman casually taking in her surroundings. “So you told on me,” she adds with a laugh, trying to ease the tension.

“Yup,” Felicity says, obviously not finding any humor in the situation. Thea nods her head solemnly and stares at her feet. “You know, Oliver and I are just trying to help you. Because we love you.”

She scoffs, “You keep referring to you and Oliver as a ‘we’, like you’re still a couple. But you’re not. I get it, you care about me and you worry about me. But you don’t need to. I have my life completely under control.”

“Do you?” she raises an eyebrow, motioning towards where Thea’s arms are crossed, “Because your hands are shaking.”

She looks down before curling her hands into fists at her side and glaring at the older woman, “Whatever. You’re not my mother or my sister, so just leave me alone.” She plasters on a condescending smile, “Enjoy the party.”

The blonde sighs and watches the other girl saunter back to her friends before swiping a drink off a tray from a passing waiter, chugging the entire thing and wishing it was alcohol.

 

* * *

 

Leaning against the bar, Oliver narrows his eyes at his little sister, barely restraining himself from attacking the guy that she is dancing up against. He’s been watching her all night and so far, he hadn’t seen her try to sneak a sip of alcohol or take anything, so that was good. She did however look to have a tense conversation with Felicity about an hour ago, but he couldn’t bring himself to intervene. Things with Felicity had been complicated lately. He hasn’t seen her in person since before he broke up with McKenna almost a week ago. Oliver has been thinking a lot about his feelings and it’s obvious that Felicity still holds a part of his heart, but he doesn't know exactly how large that part is yet. And that scares him to death because if she still has a part of him, that means that she still has the ability to hurt him, and he’s not sure if he could ever go through that again. Why do things have to be so confusing?

Oliver looks around the room before his eyes land on the woman that has constantly been on his mind. She is talking to some guy, her head thrown back as she laughs and her hand on his forearm. Suddenly Felicity turns her head, her smile softening as their eyes meet and it’s like he can’t breathe. It is so reminiscent of her first night back in Starling at Tommy and Laurel’s engagement party that it startles him to his core, nearly knocking him off his feet. He’s standing here looking at her and their entire relationship flashes before his eyes.

_I believe in you._

Everything around him blurs into nothingness, and it’s like she’s the only person he can see; she’s the only person he can ever see.

_There was just something about you._

Their eyes stay locked and her expression is as beautiful and innocent as the day they met, the day that changed his life forever before he even realized it would; that  _she_  would.

_It was red._

It's like everything in him is suddenly weightless; his head is spinning, his heart pounding. The spacious room is closing in around him, becoming smaller and smaller. Feeling claustrophobic, Oliver blinks and starts to move towards the door, not even caring as he pushes his way through the crowd.

_I never want to lose you._

When he gets outside, he barely even registers that it’s raining, water coming down a little heavier than a drizzle.

_You and me? We’re inevitable._

Oliver runs his hands over his face, struggling to suck deep breaths into his lungs and the crisp night air does nothing to the alleviate the pressure that’s suffocating him.

_I love you. Nothing will ever change that._

Outside the club there are groups of people scattered around, talking and laughing, but he can’t hear them; everything is white noise because all he can hear is her laugh, repeating over and over like a broken record in his mind.

_Let’s not say goodbye this time._

He turns around when he hears her melodic voice. “Oliver?” Felicity stands in front of him, wet hair beginning to stick to her skin and worry etched on her face. “Are you okay?”

He shakes his head and croaks out, “No. No, I’m not okay.  _Nothing_  is okay.”

She takes a few strides closer to him with furrowed brows, “I don’t understand. What happened?”

“What happened?” Oliver releases a breath that is something between a huff and a laugh before he stares at her with complete seriousness, hands gesturing wildly, _“You_ happened!”

The intensity of both his eyes and voice cause her to suck in a sharp breath, and she raises her brows in confusion and offense, “Excuse me? What did  _I_  do?”

“Everything! God, Felicity, why did you have to come back?! I was doing fine without you. I was happy! I moved on and I was with a woman who loved me. Then you came back, and you ruined _everything!”_

“Well I’m sorry that my presence is such a burden to you!”

“That’s the thing, Felicity. It’s not. It’s not a burden, it is the only thing that makes sense,” he runs his fingers through his short hair in frustration. “You came into my life and you changed me; you made me better, you made me want to  _be_  better. You saved me from myself more times than I can count and then you just - you  _destroyed_  me and I hate you for it!”

“Oh, you hate me?!”

 _“YES!”_ he yells over the increasingly heavy rainfall and hurt flashes through her eyes, but he doesn’t stop. “I hate you! I hate you for looking at me with your stupid adorable glasses, for being so shy that it just made me want to know you. I hate you for believing in me only to run away from us! I hate you for being the most beautiful, funny, caring, stubborn, frustrating, _remarkable_ woman I have ever known! And I hate you because I _don’t!_ I should; I _should_ hate you, but I _can’t.”_

When he finishes, they’re closer than when he started, Oliver having unconsciously gravitated towards her. He’s breathing heavily and he can see the tears streaming down her face, mixing with the rain. Oliver’s eyes bore into hers and he lifts a hand to the side of her face, fingertips just barely grazing her cool skin as he brushes a strand of wet hair out of her eyes, “I love you.”

Felicity is at a loss for words so she does the only thing that feels right, what’s always felt right. She closes the distance between them, throwing herself at him with so much force that he stumbles backwards a step before circling his arms around her waist. Her feet dangle off the ground and she bands her arms around his neck, connecting their lips in a searing kiss that quickly leaves them both breathless. Oliver runs his tongue along the seam of her lips and she opens her mouth, hungrily allowing him entrance. He runs his hands up and down her back, one tangling through her silky curls. The last time that they were standing in the rain, she drove away, taking his heart with her. And now he finally feels like he got it back.

 

* * *

 

Oliver somehow gets his brain working long enough to hail them a cab, her townhouse barely being a ten-minute drive from Verdant and neither of them wanting to have to separate long enough to drive themselves. The entire time they can't keep their hands off each other, Oliver being only vaguely aware that the driver keeps looking at them in the mirror with a little too much interest. They roll to a stop and he swings open the door, throwing a wad of cash up front before all but yanking Felicity out, immediately reconnecting their lips. The rain has let up, barely constituting as a drizzle, but they're still soaking wet, clothes plastered to their skin. Felicity turns, skillfully walking them backwards up to her porch while keeping her lips on his. With a small groan of protest, she pulls away, turning in his embrace to unlock the door, Oliver plastering her back to his front and attaching his lips to her neck. After only stumbling a little, she manages and twists the handle, yanking him inside and immediately throwing his back against the door, slamming it with a loud bang.

He huffs a laugh and raises his eyebrows at her, "Someone's eager."

"Shut up," she grumbles before attacking his lips, hands gripping the lapels of his jacket and pushing it off his shoulders. She’s spent the last five years dreaming of this moment and she isn’t about to let him ruin it with unnecessary commentary. Oliver growls into her mouth, moving his hands down her back, ghosting over her ass before settling on her thighs and lifting her into the air. Her legs immediately wrap themselves tightly around his waist without breaking contact, the hem of her dress riding high up towards her waist and stilettos digging into his back where her ankles are locked.

Oliver holds onto her tightly and makes his way back towards her bedroom, stopping more than once to push her up against the wall before getting there. He lets her fall, bouncing onto her bed a couple times. Felicity whines in protest at the loss of contact before leaning up on her elbows to see him better. He stands at the foot of her bed, unbuttoning his shirt agonizingly slow with a small smirk. She watches him, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth and his eyes slip down to her mouth, hands momentarily slowing at the distraction before getting back to the task at hand. Annoyed with his pace, Felicity sits up with a huff and pushes his shirt off his shoulders, one hand flying to the back of his neck to yank his mouth back down to hers. He kisses her back with just as much passion before abruptly pulling away causing a whimper to bubble past her lips as she gazes up at him with a pout. "Lay down," he instructs with a low voice and she obliges immediately.

Once she's laying completely flat, Oliver leans over her, hands moving up her thighs to the hem of her dress before dragging it up her body. He groans when he realizes that she isn't wearing a bra underneath, pulling the dress up her arms and over her head before throwing it into the darkness of the room. Felicity runs her fingers through his hair when he attaches their lips again, tongue immediately delving into her mouth. He trails his lips across her jaw and down to her neck, and she squirms when he doesn't stop.

He travels further down, ghosting over her breasts and momentarily stopping to take a pebbled nub into the warmth of his mouth. She gasps, soft moans leaving her as he gives her other breast the same thorough treatment. Oliver continues down her body, leaving fluttering kisses over her stomach until he reaches the edge of her panties. He leans back, dark eyes never leaving hers as his hands float up her thighs, fingers curling around her panties before dragging them slowly down her legs. He slides them over her patent leather heels, taking a minute to unfasten each one and slip them off her feet to the ground next to the bed. He runs his hands back up her legs before hooking them over his shoulders, dark eyes taking in her glistening folds, slick with her want for him.

"Oliver," she moans. The sight of his head between her legs has the desire inside her growing stronger and she whimpers, too turned on to be embarrassed by how needy she sounds. Felicity grips the back of his head, pushing his face closer until she can feel his hot breath on her, causing her to thrust up against him, moaning, "Oliver, please. I need y--"

He smirks before closing the remaining gap between them. His tongue licks a long, hard trail across her aching folds to her clit making her sigh. She yelps, her back bowing as he wraps his lips around the nub and sucks hard. His fingers dig into her hips keeping them pinned to the bed even as she tries to lift them, wanting more. Felicity moans, one hand tightening its grip on his hair as the other flies to her breast, kneading it to the rhythm of his tongue's hard, teasing flicks to her clit that are quickly building low in her belly.

He rubs his stubble against her wet entrance causing her back to arch off the mattress. Detaching his lips from around the tiny nub, he moves his tongue back down, peeling apart her folds and not wasting any time before thrusting inside her. A scream falls from her lips and goes straight to his groin, making him harder than he thought possible. Her eyes screw shut and her toes start to tingle. Felicity curls his hair into a tight fist, begging for more and he allows it. Loosening his grip on her hips, she immediately thrusts against his face causing his tongue to go deeper into her pulsing channel, and she gasps.

Oliver brings up a hand, his thumb pushing down hard against her clit and she cries, the tension that has been building low in her belly finally exploding. Her body stiffens and she comes with wild thrusts, white spots flickering behind her eyelids, her back bowing with a loud shout of his name as she clenches around his tongue. His movements continue in an effort to extend her pleasure for as long as he can before they slow, his gentle licks bringing her back down from ecstasy.

Lowering her legs off his shoulders and down to the bed, Oliver wipes his chin and moves back up her body. "God, I've missed how you taste," he groans into her neck before connecting their lips.

Felicity can taste herself on him and she moans into his mouth before pulling away, breathing heavily, desire already building up once again. She opens her eyes to find him already staring down at her, want and need shining in his eyes. Her hands move down to his waist and she tugs on his very much still-there pants, "Oliver. I need you.  _Now_ _."_

He plants a quick kiss to her lips before leaning back on his knees, quickly undoing the button of his pants before yanking them off his legs along with his boxers, his impossibly hard cock bouncing free. Felicity tugs at his hands, yanking him back down to her and attacking his lips with a newfound desire. As the reality of what's finally happening hits him, he slows down, the kiss becoming more tender, more intimate. He pulls away and glances down, eyes boring into hers and a small smile tugs up the corners of his lips, "You're so beautiful."

Her breath hitches in her throat at the familiar intensity she finds. "I'm so sorry, Oliver... For everything," she finds herself whispering.

"Hey,” he lifts a palm to her cheek, thumb stroking affectionately over her cheekbone. "Don't. Not now."

Felicity leans up to capture him in a tender kiss that quickly turns heated, desire rising back quickly and one of her hands threads into his hair, the other moving down his body, traveling over the taut muscles of his abs before wrapping around his length. He groans into her mouth, his cock throbbing in her warm hand as she pumps from the base to the head slowly. It's like torture, and he can't take it anymore; he reaches down and yanks her hand away up next to her head, threading their fingers together. His other hand grips her hip and he enters her with one swift motion, burying himself to the hilt and she gasps breathlessly against his lips. Oliver is unable to contain the low guttural moan he releases when he feels her tight walls surrounding him.

She arches her back as his thick shaft stretches her in the most delicious way, her swollen lips parted in a silent pant. She wraps her legs securely around his waist, rolling her hips, urging him on. He doesn't need to be told twice and pulls out before thrusting back in. He sets up a punishing pace, hard and fast and oh so amazing. Felicity tilts her head back against the pillow, banding her arms underneath his to clutch up at his shoulder blades, desperate for something to hold on to. Leaning up until they’re chest to chest so she can connect their mouths once more, she tugs lightly on his bottom lip.

“Fuck,” he grits out against her mouth, their breaths mingling as he drives into her faster and harder, causing Felicity to tighten her hold around his waist, heels digging into the bottom of his ass to take in more of him. She rocks her hips, meeting his thrusts, the sounds of her breathless moans filling the room. Oliver circles an arm low around her waist, lifting her closer and allowing him to settle impossibly deep inside her. She cries out, arching her back off the mattress and pushing her breasts into the firm planes of his chest, her hard nipples brushing against him causing a new wave of pleasure to overtake her. The tension that has been quickly building low in Felicity’s stomach tightens, her body beginning to shudder as she mutters her encouragements.

“Ol - Oliver!” she screams, her inner walls starting to rhythmically clench around him. Cursing under his breath into the junction of her neck and shoulder, Oliver pushes into her harder, his skin slapping against hers, giving her every inch of himself as he guides them both to release. One of his hands trails down her stomach, finding her clit and rubbing tight, fast circles around the hardened nub. Felicity’s cries grow even louder from the added sensation as he pounds into her and with three more deep thrusts, she comes with a loud shout of his name, her nails digging into his shoulders and leaving crescent shaped marks.

His lips find hers, tongue delving in to mimic his thrusts as he quickens his pace, dragging out her orgasm as long as he can while chasing his own. He continues rubbing circles over her swollen clit, flicking it and causing an intense aftershock to overtake her and Oliver’s gone. His thrusts become wild, losing all sense of rhythm as he shudders and empties inside her, coming with a grunt against her mouth.  
  
Felicity strokes a hand slowly up and down his muscular back, the other threading through his hair as they both try to catch their breaths, their hearts beating rapidly against each other’s chests. Oliver rolls off her, a disappointed sigh leaving her lips when he pulls out of her pulsing heat. They both stare at the ceiling, chests rising and falling with their rapid breaths, skin glistening with sweat. Felicity shifts onto her side, staring at his profile and feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. He rotates his head to look at her, small smile falling from his lips when he notices her slowly falling tears. Oliver turns to face her fully, brows furrowed in concern and he raises a hand to her cheek, thumb gently swiping away the moisture. "Hey," he whispers, "What's wrong?"

Felicity wipes under her eyes with the backs of her hands and a teary laugh bubbles past her lips, "Nothing. Nothing, I'm just being stupid."

"You’re not stupid. Talk to me."

She peers up at him under watery lashes, pained eyes meeting his worried ones. She lifts a palm to his cheek, fingers running through his stubble. "I just... I don't want to hear you say that this was a mistake," she manages, voice so quiet she wonders if he even heard it.

Understanding washes over him at the voicing of her fears, and he shifts closer so that she lays more on her back and he can lean over her. He gazes down at her and only hopes that his eyes can convey the amount of love he has for her. "Felicity," he whispers her name, and it's somehow like a promise and a prayer all in one. "Even after all this time, even after everything that's happened... There was never a single moment where I ever thought that you were a mistake." He closes the slight distance between them, connecting their lips in a passionate kiss and finally, for the first time in over five years, she feels safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	14. We Go Out on Our Own (It’s a Big Bad World Outside)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**May 2013** _

_Felicity stood in the middle of the train station with her phone in her hands, thumbs typing out a text message to Ray. She lifted her chin at the sound of a familiar voice calling her name, a wide smile spreading across her face when her eyes landed on the blonde approaching her. Tucking her phone into her back pocket, she ran forward, throwing her arms around the girl in a huge hug, “Sara!”_

_“Happy birthday,” Sara hugged her back tightly. At the sound of a clearing throat the girls separate, Felicity’s eyes landing on the older Lance sister. “I hope you don’t mind that I brought Laurel. My dad didn’t exactly trust me to come alone, and I think that we can all have some fun together.”_

_Laurel offered a smile at Felicity when she stepped forward, pulling her into a friendly hug, “Happy birthday, Felicity.”_

_“Thanks. I’m glad you could get away from fancy law school to come with Sara, and not just because you can buy alcohol,” Felicity chuckled before hooking her arms with the Lance sisters and leading them outside._

_A few hours later, the girls are on their fifth round of shots. Felicity licked the salt off her hand, knocking back the tequila and sucking the lime into her mouth with a sour face. “Ugh,” she tossed it onto the table, “So gross. Why do we do this again?”_

_“Because it’s fun?” Sara laughed, causing the two other girls to fall into a fit of giggles along with her. After they settled down, she turned her look to Felicity, waggling her eyebrows at the other blonde, “So Felicity. That Barry is pretty cute.”_

_She pulled a face, “Ew, no. He’s like a brother. And he’s - he dates Iris, and she’s really pretty and my friend, and he dates her, so I don’t date him. I date Ray.”_

_Both Lance sister’s eyes widened before Laurel spoke, “And who is Ray?”_

_“Oh! Jus a secon,” she scrambled off the floor, bouncing towards her tiny kitchen’s counter and retrieving her phone before clumsily falling back down beside the couch. She unlocked her phone and extended her arm, holding it out in front of her with a goofy smile. “That’s us. Isn’t he cute?”_

_“Totally,” the sisters said at the same time, glancing at each other and giggling before setting up another line of shots._

_After Sara fell asleep on the couch, Laurel and Felicity settled on the floor, backs resting against the couch and legs straight out. Laurel held out the bottle of tequila, having long abandoned using actual glasses, and Felicity accepted eagerly. “Y’know, I was wrong about you. You’re pretty awesome,” the older girl’s voice cut through the air._

_She turned her head and released the bottle from her lips, her eyebrows drawn together slightly. “Thank you?”_

_“I uh - I used to hate you. I mean, not really_ hate _you but like… hate you.”_

_“Why?”_

_She grabbed the bottle, taking a swig. “I was jealous of you. You’re so nice and smart, and Ollie always liked being with you more than me, and I didn’t think that I could beat you up so I couldn't even fight you for him.”_

_Felicity stared at her before bursting out in laughter and Laurel quickly joined, both girls covering their mouths to stifle their laughs when Sara shifted slightly behind them. “You wanted to fight me?” she laughed harder, head falling onto the brunette’s shoulder._

_“I would’ve! I was scared though,” she admitted in between giggles._

_The blonde sat up, taking another swig and bumping her shoulder to the other girl’s. “Well, you’re not so bad either, counselor.”_

 

* * *

 

**January 2018**

Feeling a pair of eyes on him, Oliver shifts underneath the sheets, turning his head and opening one eye experimentally. He finds Felicity sitting up, watching him intently and he huffs a laugh, closing his eyes again and draping an arm across his bare stomach. “Morning,” she says and he open his eyes fully at the tad hint of nervousness lacing her voice. She’s sitting cross-legged on the bed in just a lacy thong and his white button-down, the sides hanging mostly open from the single fastened button near the bottom of the shirt to reveal her cleavage and familiar dangling necklace. She looks absolutely breathtaking, her hair thoroughly tousled and curled just barely covering her shoulders from last night’s rain, morning light streaming through the half-open drapes illuminating her like an angel.

“Morning,” his voice is rough with sleep and he stretches his muscles, the sheets pooling agonizingly low around his naked waist. A smirk pulls at the corners of his lips when he sees her breath visibly hitch in her throat as she takes in his appearance.

“Do you, uh - do you want some coffee or something?” she manages, forcing her eyes back to his and a wide smile spreads across his face.

“Coffee would be amazing.”

“Okay,” she unfolds her legs to stand but makes a quick decision and leans forward, placing a quick peck to his lips before scrambling off the bed and leaving the room with an added sway to her hips, knowing he’d be watching her. When she disappears from view, he finally tears his eyes away from her to stare at the ceiling, a huge grin on his face as he remembers everything that happened last night. Recalling the nervousness that laced her voice earlier, he tries not to worry about what this means for them or where they go from here. He loves her, but he still isn't sure if he can trust her completely, fearing that she may hurt him again. Throwing back the covers, he sits up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and eyes fluttering across the floor in search of his hastily discarded clothes. He spots his boxer briefs and stands, leaning down and grabbing them before slipping them on and making his way to the kitchen.

Felicity stands with her hip against the counter, her adorable IT coffee mug brought to her lips and her other hand wrapped around her phone as she slides her thumb across the screen. She peers up at him when she hears his feet, eyes shamelessly scanning over his mostly-naked body before she offers a small smile. He returns it, circling the island and bracketing her with his arms, hands gripping the edge of the countertop and she sets down her phone, turning to face him with both hands wrapped around her mug. His eyes float up and down her body and she looks unbelievably sexy, toned legs almost completely exposed and cleavage peeking through the opening of his shirt. Oliver smirks down at her and she looks up under her long lashes so innocently, lips just touching the rim of the cup. “Italian roast. Just how you like it,” she tilts her head slightly to the right. His eyes land on a blue mug with a puppy on it, and he chuckles at the complete Felicity-ness of it.

“Thank you,” he wraps his fingers around the handle and brings the cup to his mouth, savoring the delicious taste.

Felicity clears her throat, setting down her coffee next to her phone and shifting nervously, unable to fully meet his eyes. “So… we should talk. About last night.”

His eyes travel back to her face and he sighs, “Felicity, I --” he’s interrupted by the shrill ringing of his phone from across the room and he groans, placing his mug on the counter and moving around to retrieve it from the pocket of his jacket which is thrown haphazardly over her couch. Pulling it out, he takes in the picture of Moira on his screen and answers, “Mom.” Felicity leans her forearms against the counter, watching him curiously. His face quickly contorts with seriousness and from what she can tell, concern, and she listens to his tense voice. “ _What?!_  What happened?... Okay… Yeah, yeah. I’m on my way… Okay… Bye.” He hangs up hastily.

She straightens her stance, furrowing her brows in confusion and concern, “What is it?”

“It’s Thea. She’s in the hospital,” he grits out.

Her eyes widen and she moves towards him, “What? Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, I think; she crashed her new car last night. Or this morning, technically. I have to go to the hospital,” he walks past her, heading back towards her room to retrieve the rest of his clothes, and she follows.

“Yeah, of course. I’ll go with you, just let me get dressed.” Felicity undoes the single button keeping his shirt around her and shrugs it off her shoulders, holding it out to him by the collar, unfazed by her nakedness aside from her panties -- if you could even call them that. Zipping up his pants, Oliver turns toward her, freezing as he takes her in. He grabs his shirt with a groan, putting it on quickly and sitting on the edge of the bed to put on his shoes. She can’t help the small smile that pulls at her lips before she makes her way to her walk-in closet, quickly getting dressed. After she’s fully clothed, her hair in a loose braid to hide its wildness, she heads back out to where Oliver is waiting.

“I didn’t drive here, so I called a cab,” he explains and she can sense how worried he is, despite concealing it as agitation just minutes ago.

Felicity wraps her arms loosely around his waist, “Thea’s gonna be okay.”

He releases a breath and nods, “I know.” She leans up, placing a light kiss to his lips. Honking sounds from outside prompting her to grab her cell and keys before placing her hand in his and allowing herself to be led outside.

 

* * *

 

The twenty-minute car ride to the hospital allows Oliver time for things to really settle in, his worry for his baby sister increasing drastically; he knows that she’s alive and awake, but doesn't know the full extent of her injuries or even what had happened exactly. The only thing that keeps him from thoroughly losing his cool on the way over is the feel of Felicity’s hand clasped in his, her thumb soothingly stroking over the back of his constantly. Navigating through the hospital floor with Felicity in tow, he spots a reception desk, heading towards it and leaning over the top, “Hi, my name is Oliver Queen. I need information about my sister, Thea Queen. She was brought in early this morning after a car accident.”

The young nurse glances up at him a bit star struck before shaking herself out of it and typing into her computer, “Of course, Mr. Queen. Let me look for her information.”

He drums the fingers of his free hand against the desk impatiently before hearing a familiar voice call his name. “Oliver!”

Turning around, his eyes land on his mother obviously wracked with worry, and he releases Felicity’s hand, moving towards her and pulling her into a hug. “Mom. Is Thea okay? Where is she? What happened?” the numerous questions bubble past his lips and he pulls away, taking her in with brows furrowed in concern.

“She’s alright. The doctor says she has a mild concussion from hitting her head on the steering wheel, and her left wrist is sprained. It seems that early this morning around three, she left her party and somehow lost control of her car. She drove into a tree; the car is completely totaled.” Oliver settles a hand to his hip, the other running over his face as he releases a sigh. Moira glances over his shoulder, finally noticing the other woman standing a few feet away. “Felicity, darling.” She tugs the blonde into a tight embrace, “Thank you for coming. How did you know?”

Felicity’s eyes widen slightly and she peers over Moira’s shoulder at Oliver, who has his back to her as he takes in deep breaths. “Oliver texted me,” she excuses, “He thought I’d want to know.”

Moira breaks away, lifting a hand to her cheek with a smile that she easily returns, “Well, thank you. I’m sure Thea will be happy to see you.”

“Can I see her? Where is her room?” Oliver’s voice pulls the women from their moment.

“Of course, sweetheart. Just around the corner, room 309. I’m going to go speak more about her results and her discharge with the doctor.”

Felicity offers the older woman one more comforting smile before trailing behind Oliver towards Thea’s room. He opens the door to find her propped up in bed flipping through channels, a brace on her arm and a small, stitched up gash on her forehead. She turns her head at the sound of the door opening and immediately smiles, “Ollie. You came.”

He rushes towards her, relief flooding through him at the confirmation that she is indeed alive, “Of course I came, Speedy. Why wouldn’t I?” Oliver scoops her up in a tight embrace, a hand flying up to bring the back of her head to his chest and he places a kiss to the top of her hair as she hugs her arms around his waist just as tightly. “Thank god you’re okay.” He pulls back and peers down at her, palms cradling her face, “What were you thinking driving in the dark when you just got your license? You could’ve been killed, Thea.”

“Hey, I’m a good driver. I just… lost control. I thought I saw an animal or something,” she averts her gaze and Felicity narrows her eyes slightly, immediately able to tell that the younger girl is hiding something. Her face softens when Thea notices her presence, “Lissy.”

Felicity takes a few steps forward with a small smile, “Hey, how are you feeling?”

The brunette shrugs, “Okay. A little headachy and my wrist kinda hurts. but okay.” Her gaze returns to Oliver and she finally takes in his appearance, narrowing her eyes, “Ollie, weren’t you wearing that last night?”

He startles at the question, “What?” He tilts his chin down, taking in the outfit he was indeed wearing last night sans jacket.

“Yeah, that’s definitely what you wore to my party. Wait, I thought you and McKenna were like, on a break or whatever. Ew, you hooked up with someone.” The younger Queen cringes, making a gagging face accompanied with noises for effect.

“Relax, I crashed at Tommy’s,” he lies easily, not wanting anyone to know about him and Felicity just yet. She understands - she did the same with Moira - but it still stings a little, how naturally the lie bubbles past his lips.

“Oh. Okay well, I have to go to the bathroom. That stupid IV they had me on was running straight into my bladder. Luckily, Mom brought me clothes so I can change, the doctor said I can leave whenever.”

Oliver chuckles, “We’ll be in the hallway waiting for mom, she’s finishing up talking to your doctor.”

“Okay,” she throws over her shoulder, grabbing the bag from the chair in the corner before closing the door to the connected bathroom.

They make their way back into the hallway and he release a sigh, running his hands over his face again. Felicity steps closer to him and reaches up to pull his hands away before gazing up at him, placing her palm on his cheek lightly. “She’s okay. Thea is alive and still as sassy and observant as ever,” she adds with a small laugh before sobering up. “Oliver, she’s  _okay_ _.”_ He nods his head slowly and she leans up on her toes, placing a light kiss on his lips before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down into a warm embrace. After a moment, his body relaxes into her hold, his face pushing into her neck and his arms banding around her waist underneath her cardigan. He presses her body up against his so closely that she needs to stand on her tiptoes, his palms delving beneath the hem of her red tank top in a need to feel the warmth of her skin, to feel connected to her.

Their intimate moment is interrupted by the clearing of a throat and Oliver lifts his head, eyes landing on Captain Lance a few feet away with none other than Detective McKenna Hall standing behind him. Upon seeing her, he releases Felicity and she peers over her shoulder, mouth falling open slightly and she shifts awkwardly between her feet. Captain Lance grumbles, “Can we talk for a minute, Queen?”

Oliver clears his throat, gazing towards Felicity and she gives a slight nod, squeezing his hand in reassurance. “Go. I’m gonna call Tommy and Sara, let them know what’s going on.” He nods at her before moving towards Lance, Felicity making eye contact with a glaring McKenna before shuffling towards the waiting area chairs and tugging her phone out of her back pocket to busy herself with calls.

“I can’t find your mother, and I need permission to ask Thea a few questions,” Lance states gruffly.

“I don’t see why that’s necessary,” Oliver tenses, a normal reaction to the older man in addition to being very aware of McKenna standing just off to the side.

“All automobile accidents are reported to the police. It’s standard procedure, establishing what happened for the records.”

“I guess that’s fine.” he nods, continuing to talk to the captain while moving his eyes to McKenna, “You can head in, she’s getting ready to be discharged. Wait for me before you start asking her anything, I’ll be in in a moment.” Lance huffs at the pair before heading into Thea’s hospital room. Oliver feels uncomfortable, not knowing what to say to his recent ex-girlfriend.

McKenna is the first to speak, her voice tense, “So I guess your time alone is going well.”

 _Ouch_. He sighs, “McKenna I --”

“-- Can explain?” she interrupts with a raised eyebrow. “I’m sure you can. First you tell me,  _repeatedly_ _,_ that you no longer have feelings for Felicity. Then you cheat on me with said woman, waiting  _weeks_  to tell me. Then you dump me, saying that you are confused and ‘need some time to yourself’, and not even a week later you’re back together with her. Did I miss anything?”

“We’re not togeth --” he runs a frustrated hand over his face out of habit, “It’s complicated.”

She barks out a laugh, her eyes beginning to water. “Y’know, I agreed to give you time. Because I thought that you loved me; that no matter what, you would come back to me. But I was just as deluded as you are.”

Oliver furrows his brows, “What?”

“Oliver, this is the same woman who broke your heart and destroyed your life for  _months_ _,_ nearly costing you  _everything_ _._ And you’re too stupid or blinded by whatever it is you see in her to even realize that she’ll just end up doing it again.” She brushes past him, heading down the hallway in the opposite direction leaving him standing there, mouth agape and a million thoughts running through his head.

He’s pulled from his worries by Thea’s voice yelling from inside her room, “Ollie!”

Yanking the door open, Oliver feels shock and anger coursing through him as he takes in the sight of his baby sister being put in handcuffs, “What the hell is going on here?!”

The older man turns to him, “I just got a call from the hospital labs. In the event of a vehicular accident, they're required to report the result of the driver's tox screen. Miss Queen tested positive for a narcotic called Vertigo.”

 _“What?!”_ Oliver all but yells, “This is a mistake.” He meets Thea’s frantic eyes, and that’s when he realizes that it is in fact not a mistake. She’d taken dangerous drugs and then drove, nearly killing herself. Felicity rushes to his side, resting a hand on his arm and taking in the scene with wide eyes.

Captain Lance turns back the young girl, hand curled around her un-sprained arm where they are loosely cuffed behind her back as to not hurt her. “Thea Queen, you are under arrest for driving under the influence of illegal narcotics. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law…” he continues the standard reading of her rights, dragging her past the pair and into the hallway.

She cranes her neck, wide, scared eyes meeting her brother’s. “Ollie, do something!”

He takes a step forward, trying to keep his voice steady and reassuring, “Speedy, everything is going to be okay. Don’t say a word until I come get you, okay? We’ll be right behind you, I promise.” She nods her head jerkily before being pulled around the corner. Oliver runs his fingers through his hair, mind completely frozen. He is vaguely aware of Felicity’s arms wrapping around his waist, but all he can do is stare at where his little sister had disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	15. The Truth Can Be Deceiving (And I Was Just Too Young to See)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**August 2013** _

_It was a warm summer night and Table Salt was buzzing, the hum of different conversations filling the atmosphere. Oliver lifted his glass to his lips, drinking in a large sip of his scotch on the rocks, feeling nervous and slightly suffocated. After months of working hard by taking extra classes to make up for the plummeting his grades had taken for a while there, staying miles away from any and all parties, and nearly a year since that devastating night, he had finally agreed to let Tommy set him up on a date. An actual date; like, a first date with a nice suit and an expensive restaurant. Which he hadn’t been on in years. His last real date had obviously been with Felicity -- they used to make it a tradition to have a monthly date night before they each had left -- and his last_ first _date had been with Laurel, considering he and Felicity jumped right into their relationship._

_He'd finally decided it was time to move on. Some people might say he'd already moved on with the numerous women he'd been with since Felicity, but that's all it was. With those other girls, it was physical; they banged, screwed, fucked -- no matter how you said it, it didn't change what it truly was: sex. With her it was different; it was always different. And sure, there were times that to someone watching from the outside it would seem like they were fucking -- hard and rough and purely that. But no matter what, no matter how it was, it was always more; it was making love. So yes, he may have moved on physically, but definitely not emotionally._

_Sadly, moving on was easier said than done. Sitting in front of him was Carrie Cutter, a sweet, cute, enthusiastic girl. She was in one of Laurel’s classes, and apparently had been asking repeatedly to be set up with him ever since she found out that he and Laurel were friends. Finally, he had agreed and she was ecstatic, albeit a little_ too _into him for a first date that was also a first meeting. But looking at her, smiling wide as she told him about her family, he couldn’t help but criticize every little thing about her. Her hair, a dark shade of red, wasn’t blonde enough. Her big, bright blue eyes somehow weren’t blue enough; her dark pink lips were just a little too pink. And her voice was a little higher pitched -- not enough to be annoying -- and the way she spoke was clear and concise and... not babble-y. And that made him feel like a complete jackass, because she was a perfectly nice, very beautiful woman. But she was nothing like Felicity._

_Though, maybe that was a good thing; to be with someone the exact opposite from his onetime best friend. He decided that this was for the best; he needed to put her out of his mind and heart once and for all. Which is why he paid the bill and held Carrie’s hand as he walked her home, her house being just around the block. And why when he finally got to her front door, he let her lean up and place a kiss to his lips. It was nice. Just nice. But he could work with that. Which is why he asked her out on a second date and smiled when she said yes._

 

* * *

 

**January 2018**

Oliver sits in the police department, leg bouncing rapidly and his head buried in his hands, elbows resting atop his knees. He'd been here multiple times when he was in his youth, but he never imagined that he'd ever be here for his baby sister. Immediately after Captain Lance had taken Thea, Moira returned and he told her everything. They all quickly went out to the car she arrived in and headed to the precinct, calling their lawyer on the way. How the press already got wind of things he has no idea, but when they pulled up front, their car was swarmed with paparazzi. Oliver stepped out of the car and pulled Felicity close in an effort to protect her as he lead his family inside, but that only caused more questions to be fired at them.

_Mr. Queen! Is your sister going to jail?_

_Oliver! Are you and Felicity back together?_

_How does it feel that your sister is following in your footsteps?_

_Felicity! Where have you been for the last five years and why did you return?_

_Should we be expecting a little prince or princess soon?_

Oliver feels a warm hand on his thigh, stopping his leg from bouncing and pulling him from his thoughts. He lifts his head, meeting Felicity's eyes to find her offering him a small, reassuring smile, "You doing okay?"

"I will be once they let her go," he sighs. Moira and their attorney are in the interrogation room with Thea and Lance now, but he wasn't allowed in, which  _really_  pissed him off.

"They will," she promises emphatically. Felicity knows that whatever she says won't get rid of his worries, so she decides to try to change the subject. "I don't remember the press ever being that crazy."

Oliver gazes at her, eyes thankful at her effort to take his mind off things. "Yeah, they started following me more during college after it was announced that I might be taking over the company."

"Right. I always hated them in high school even though they would only ever bother me if I was with you or Tommy. But somehow they know every detail of my personal life."

He huffs a laugh, "Yeah, that's what they do."

"Well, hopefully they'll have given up by the time we get outta here."

"I have a feeling we're gonna be here for a while." Oliver stares at her a bit nervously, a topic on his mind that has been bothering him all day and was only exacerbated by what some reporter had said. "Hey, Felicity… About last night... I - We were really caught up in the moment, and we - we didn't use a condom."

She stares at him --  _that’s what he wants to talk about? Seriously?_  -- before breaking into a small grin that hopefully doesn’t look too forced, "Don't worry. I'm on the pill."

"Oh. Okay, good. That's good."

Felicity tries not to be hurt by the relief in his voice. I mean, would having a baby with her really be _that_ terrible? She thinks back to everything he said last night.  _I love you._  He still loves her -- he wouldn't say that to her if he didn’t mean it, right? -- and right now, that is all that matters. She sighs and reaches over, clasping his hand into hers, intertwining their fingers and feeling warm all over from the contact. "Look, I know that we obviously have a lot to talk about, with us. But it can wait however long you need. Just know that I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for Thea and I’m here for  _you_ _."_

He blinks at her before his face softens and he palms her cheek, brushing his thumb over her cheekbone as she leans into his touch, her eyes fluttering shut briefly. His voice is soft when he finally finds it, “You’re remarkable, you know that?”

“It’s been said a few times,” she responds with a small smirk, her eyes shining as she looks at him. The interrogation room door opening draws them from their moment, and Oliver removes his hand from her face and stands, body immediately tensing. Felicity follows suit, taking in the group of people before her. Moira and Jean, the Queen’s attorney, look stressed, both their bodies rigid. Thea seems scared, her not-sprained arm crossed across her middle and her face sunken, and Captain Lance just looks straight up annoyed.

“We’re leaving,” Moira’s strained voice announces and she places her hand on the middle of Thea’s back, guiding her forward. Oliver and Felicity exchange a look before following them outside in silence, both wondering what was happening. Earlier, Felicity had called Sara to come pick her up, feeling like this was strictly a family matter, and her friend is waiting for her when they get outside.

She turns to Oliver and places a hand lightly on his forearm, “Call me with any news?” He nods in confirmation and she offers a smile before retreating to Sara’s car and climbing in.

Once in their town car, the exhaustion becomes clear on Thea’s face and she is quick to drift off to sleep with her head in Oliver’s lap and her legs spread out across the seat. He cards his fingers through her loose curls and sighs, lifting his head and meeting his mother’s waiting gaze. “What happened?”

“She’s being charged with underage drinking, use of illegal drugs, and driving under the influence. Because she’s a minor, she can be home until her court date later this week.”

He clenches his jaw, “And when this goes to court. Best case scenario?”

“Best case? A fine, her license taken away, maybe community service of some sort. Worst case? Up to six months in a juvenile detention and rehabilitation facility.”

Oliver sucks in a sharp breath through his nose at his mother’s words before gazing down at his baby sister sleeping soundly, looking so innocent and young. That could not, under any circumstances, happen. He wouldn’t allow it. Looking back up at Moira, he pulls his phone out of his pocket, careful not to shift and wake up Thea. Thumbing through his contacts, he clicks on the familiar number before lifting it to his ear and sucking in a deep breath when he hears her voice answer. “Laurel. I need your help.”

 

* * *

 

Felicity settles in the passenger seat, buckling her seatbelt and looking ahead. After a few seconds without the car moving, she turns her head to find Sara staring at her with narrowed eyes. She raises a brow at the other blonde, “What?”

“Nothing,” Sara shrugs a shoulder and glances out the window, checking her blind spot before pulling onto the road. “How’s Thea?”

“Physically she’ll be fine, just a slight concussion and a sprained wrist. But she is in a lot of trouble. She could go to jail.”

“Wow.” her eyes shift between Felicity and the road, “Oliver must be having a hard time with this whole thing.”

She sighs, “Yeah. He’s really worried about her. All he’s been doing is trying to help her and now it might be too late, and I mean, she’s his baby sister. She did a dumb thing and could’ve seriously hurt herself or someone else but… She’s just a kid, y’know? Oliver would be destroyed if something happened to her.”

“You seem to be awfully concerned about Oliver there, Lis.”

“Well yeah… I care about him.“

Sara raises a brow and eyes her friend from the corner of her eye, “Something happened between you two.”

She swallows, looking away from her and making a nervous noise somewhere between a scoff and a laugh, “No, nope. Nothing happened between us. I mean, nothing beyond the norm. Why would you think otherwise?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you both disappeared around the same time last night, your hair is in a messy braid and it is  _never_  in a messy braid, and you’re literally glowing.”

“Fine,” Felicity sighs and glances at her lap, mumbling something Sara can’t make out.

She draws her eyebrows together, “What?”

“We slept together last night!” she blurts out, her eyes widening slightly at her own outburst.

Sara’s eyes bulge out of her face and she whips her head towards the other woman, _“WHAT?!”_

Felicity flings herself forward, grabbing the wheel when Sara swerves slightly before quickly righting the car and looking ahead, horns sounding from outside. “Sara! You’re going to kill us!”

“I’m sorry! I just had a mini heart attack because I thought you said you guys slept together.”

“... I did. _We_ did.”

“You slept together. You had sex. With Oliver. You and Oliver had sex. His thing was in your thing. Last night.”

Felicity cringes, “Classy, Sara. But yes, all of those statements are accurate.”

“Holy shit! Oh my god Felicity, you dirty girl! How was it? It was good, right?"

She is unable to stop the giddy smile from tugging up the corners of her lips. "Good would be the biggest understatement of the century, Sara. It was like an out of body experience from the second he said he still loves me. It was like I could feel everything happening around me, but I was numb at the same time. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain. It just felt right.”

Sara pulls the car over to the side of the road outside of Verdant where Felicity’s car is still parked from last night, removing the key and unbuckling her seatbelt so she can face her friend more fully. “So are you guys back together?”

“I don’t know,” she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. “We haven’t really talked. And that’s fine, he needs to be there for Thea and not worrying about our relationship status. I told him to take however long he needs.”

“And what about what you need, Lis?”

Felicity contemplates her question for a few seconds before looking up. She lifts one shoulder in a shrug and speaks like it’s the simplest thing in the entire world, “I just need him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	16. You’re Falling to Your Knees (Oh Please, You Know Love Will Set You Free)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**January 2014** _

_Felicity pulled the tea bag out of the oversized red mug, lifting it to her lips to test the temperature. Deciding that it was hot enough, she turned on her heels and made her way back to the bedroom, the edges of the flannel shirt she was wearing brushing across the very tops of her thighs and doing nothing to keep her warm in the chilly apartment. She walked through the doorway, a smile tugging up the corners of her lips when her eyes landed on Ray laying on his bed with his tablet clad in only a pair of sweatpants. “You need to buy more tea,” her voice pulled him from whatever he was doing and he glanced up with a small smile as she sat down, tucking her legs underneath herself._

_“Only because you keep drinking it,” he retorted, looking back towards his screen._

_“Which is exactly why you need more tea.” She took another sip before setting it down on the bedside table. Felicity opened the drawer and pulled out her lavender scented lotion she kept there specifically for when she spent the night, squirting a dollop into her hand and clicking the top shut. Rubbing it into her hands and up along her arms, her movements slowed as she realized something was missing. She tried not to panic while she ran her hands up her arms searchingly, hopelessly feeling in the pockets of Ray’s shirt that she was wearing. “Where’s my bracelet?”_

_“Huh?” he asked without looking up._

_Felicity stood, “My bracelet. It’s brown, leather, woven; I wear it every day. Oliver gave it to me when we were kids.” She yanked back the covers, moving the pillows frantically before spotting the item she’d been looking for. But her relief was short lived when she pulled it from where it was wedged between the mattress and the headboard to find the band torn, the leather frayed at the edges. “No, no, no, no…” she muttered under her breath, bringing the bracelet closer to her face to inspect it only to realize it was beyond repair._

_“What’s wrong?”_

_“It’s… It’s broken…”_

_Ray lifted his head and frowned, “That’s too bad.”_

_Felicity stared at the bracelet that meant so much to her, the bracelet that she always wore because it meant that Oliver was always there protecting her, even when he wasn’t. Seeing the unfixable frayed edges was like a dam bursting and she sucked in a stuttering breath before the tears started to fall uncontrollably. Ray looked over in concern, locking the screen and setting the tablet down on the nightstand before moving to comfort her. Burying her face in her hands, she couldn’t stop crying; it was like fourteen years of friendship and love was truly, completely over._

_Ray had an arm around her shoulders, his hand slowly rubbing up and down the top of her arm. After a while she finally calmed down, lifting her hands to wipe her tear-stained cheeks. “I’m sorry for freaking out over a stupid bracelet,” Felicity apologized after taking a deep breath._

_“Felicity… Oliver gave you that bracelet. And when you saw that it broke, you burst into tears. You still love him,” he concluded. About four months into their relationship, Ray had told her about his high school girlfriend, Anna, who passed away tragically just after starting college. After he’d been so honest, she couldn’t bear the thought of keeping something from him so she told him everything about her relationship with Oliver, minus the more specific details surrounding their breakup._

_She peered up at him with wide eyes, “What? No, it’s not like that. He’s my best friend and that bracelet meant a lot to both of us, so obviously, I’m upset.”_

_“But Felicity, you weren’t just upset. You had a break down over one of the last physical things you have from him. That’s not… You still love him.”_

_“No Ray, I don’t; not like that. I love you, I do. You have to believe me,” she pleaded._

_Slowly he removed his hands from hers. “I want to, Felicity. But I don’t.”_

_She stared at him, blinking rapidly to try to keep the tears at bay. “Well I guess I should leave then.” Felicity stood, quickly changing her clothes before fleeing the apartment, unable to put up a genuine fight for their relationship because she wasn’t entirely sure that he was wrong._

 

* * *

 

**February 2018**

Oliver wrings his hands nervously in between his knees, shifting on the uncomfortable wooden bench of the courtroom. His mother on one side, Tommy on the other along with Sara, Nyssa and Felicity, doesn’t do much to ease his nerves as the judge enters the room, prompting Thea and Jean to rise from their seats.

“Docket ending 1-10-5-6, People vs. Thea Dearden Queen. Underage consumption of alcohol, possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence of a controlled substance. I understand that there is no plea agreement on the table at this time,” Judge Stanley states, his voice deep and rough.

“Assistant District Attorney Adam Donner for the prosecution. Due to the severity of these crimes, we plan on pursuing this to trial.”

Jean looks between ADA Donner and Judge Stanley, “Your Honor, Miss Queen is only sixteen years old. To pursue this matter to trial would be unnecessary and unjust.”

“I am inclined to disagree, Miss Loring.”

“Excuse me Judge Stanley,” Laurel’s voice interrupts as she walks into the courtroom followed by a gruff looking Captain Lance. Oliver sends her a grateful smile and she nods before making her way through the gate and situating herself at the table next to Thea, “Laurel Lance for the defense.”

“I was unaware that there would be a change in attorneys. This is an obvious delay tactic, Your Honor,” Donner objects.

“Quite the opposite, actually. Due to the fact that Miss Queen is a minor and has no priors, I’m proposing a plea agreement dependent upon the suspension of Miss Queen’s license, five hundred hours community service at the police department, voluntary admittance into a substance abuse class, and at least six months probation,” Laurel offers.

“Unfortunately, Miss Queen would need a respectable sponsor to allow her probation and community service, and --”

“Yes, I’m aware. Captain Lance of the Starling City Police Department has agreed to sponsor Miss Queen, as well as myself.”

Judge Stanley looks towards Lance to see his nod of confirmation, even if he doesn't seem too happy with it. “Well then, if the prosecution agrees with this plea agreement?”

ADA Donner sighs reluctantly, “The prosecution has no objections.”

“Then Miss Queen, you are sentenced to six months of probation as well as the other terms set forth by your plea agreement. Next case,” he finishes with the ceremonial banging of his gavel.

Thea lets out a sigh of relief, wrapping her arms around Laurel, “Thank you.”

Laurel smiles, “There’s no need to thank me, Thea.”

Both girls move towards the benches where Thea is immediately engulfed in Oliver and Moira’s arms. After placing a kiss to the top of her head, Oliver moves to Laurel and squeezes her hand, “Thank you so much for talking to your dad. I know it couldn’t have been easy to convince him to help me.”

“I just told the truth; this wasn’t about helping you, it was about helping a troubled young girl get a second chance. It wasn’t too long ago when Sara was getting into trouble. After that, he was quick to agree.” Laurel offers a smile before moving to where Tommy and the others are embracing Thea.

Oliver lifts his head, meeting Captain Lance’s gaze from across the room and nodding in thanks. Lance just huffs in response, but he considers that a win. Feeling a hand on his forearm, he turns to find Felicity standing with a grin on her face. “See? I told you she’d be okay.”

He grins down at her, “Yeah, you did. I should know by now that you’re always right.” She barks out a laugh. “Hey, do you uh… Do you maybe want to come over tonight? I could make you dinner, we could finally have that talk.”

Felicity stares up at him as if she’s trying to decide if he’s being serious. Her face breaks out into a small smile, just big enough for her cheeks to dimple, “Yeah. I’d love that.”

“Great. Come by my place around six? I’ll text you my address.”

“Uh, yeah. I’ll be there.”

“Awesome.”

“Yeah. So, I’ll um… See you tonight…” she laughs lightly.

“Yes, yup. Tonight.” He can’t help but beam at her like an idiot while she walks away, throwing one last smile over her shoulder before exiting the courtroom.

 

* * *

 

Felicity stands in front of the door to Oliver’s loft fidgeting with the strap of her purse. Taking a deep breath, she lifts her hand and places a few quick knocks on his door. She hears shuffling from inside and after a few seconds, the door swings open to reveal Oliver standing there with a stupid smile on his face looking unbelievably irresistible in just a simple t-shirt and sweatpants combination.  _Damn him._  “Hi,” she breathes out.

“Hi,” he opens the door further to let her inside.

She looks around, taking in his impressive loft. “Wow. This place is amazing.”

“Thanks,” Oliver swings the door shut, flicking the lock. “Uh, you can leave your shoes and stuff here. Dinner is almost ready.”

Felicity nods, toeing off her flats and placing her purse on the table. She follows him into the kitchen, sniffing in the most delicious smell of pasta as she leans forward against the island “Mmm. Since when do you cook?”

He turns the saucepan onto low before moving over and pouring two glasses of wine, “I guess Raisa’s teachings really stuck. Especially when I had to start cooking for myself.” He moves to stand across from her and hands her a glass.

“Thanks,” she says before taking a small sip, glancing down and fidgeting with the stem of the tall glass.

Noticing her nervousness, Oliver sets his glass aside and walks around the island to stand by her, taking her hands in his. “Felicity… We should talk.”

She takes a deep breath and peers up at him under long lashes, “If you… If you want to forget what happened, I completely understand. It was intense and we were obviously caught up in the moment and I get that you might’ve said some things that you didn’t really mean and I --”

“-- Felicity!” he interrupts her breathless ramble, his eyebrows drawn together. “No, that could not be further from the truth. I don’t regret what happened, I’m glad that it did. And I meant everything that I said.”

“You - you did?”

He brings a palm up to her cheek, “Yes. Felicity, I love you.”

Tears spring to her eyes and she launches herself forward, connecting their lips briefly but passionately. She pulls away and her eyes bore into his, “I love you too.” Oliver smiles, ducking his head to kiss her again, banding and arm around her waist to pull her close. Reluctantly, she retreats once again. “So what does this mean? I don’t want to like, jump to conclusions or anything but like, are we getting back together? Are we just having fun? Are we --”

“-- Felicity,” he cuts her off again with a small chuckle before getting serious. “I… I want to be with you, I do. I just… You really hurt me. And I understand it more now, but that doesn’t change the fact that you just - you walked away. I mean, the thought of marrying me was so horrifying to you that you left without even talking to me, and then you never even came back later to explain yourself or make things right. I don’t… I want to, but I don’t know if I can completely trust you yet.”

“Oliver, I know how badly I screwed up and that I should’ve talked to you, but _please_ do not think that the idea of marrying you wasn’t something that I’ve dreamed of. Because I have. I was young and stupid and scared, because the thought of you proposing  _at that point in time_  was terrifying. But it wasn’t the actual thought of you  _proposing,_  because that is something that I’ve been dreaming of my entire life. And these last few years, all I’ve been able to think about was that if you had asked me, I would’ve said yes in a heartbeat.” She pauses briefly at his sharp intake of breath. “I would’ve said yes, _of course_ I would’ve said yes. I know that I’ll never be able to make it up to you but I promise, I am never leaving you ever again. Because doing it the first time nearly killed me.”

“Good. Because losing you nearly killed me too,” he whispers.

“I will do whatever it takes to earn your trust back. Maybe we can just take things slow.” He raises an eyebrow at that and she flushes, remembering their night together. She rolls her eyes and huffs a laugh, “Fine. Slow _er._  Like, we can date or whatever. But exclusively, obviously.”

“Obviously,” he chuckles. “I think taking things slowly sounds perfect.”

She smiles, winding her arms around his neck and tugging her bottom lip between her teeth. “But you do realize that means no sex, right?”

His face falls slightly, “Like, none at all?”

“I’m serious about earning your trust back, Oliver. I know that our relationship will never be like it was but… Maybe it can be better. So, that means doing things right this time.”

Oliver sighs but smirks down at her, “Okay. But you can still stay the night.”

“I’d love that.” She stretches up on her tiptoes to place a quick peck to his lips before pulling away and sitting on a stool at the island, pointing towards the stove. “You better check that.” He narrows his eyes at her with a huff before turning around and making his way to check on their dinner. Felicity can’t fight the dopey grin that spreads across her face as she stares at his back, muscles tensing as he moves the spoon around the pan. She sighs; she could get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	17. And All I Need is to Find Somebody (I'll Find Somebody Like You)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**March 2014** _

_Oliver walked into the once abandoned steel factory with a smile on his face, happy to be out of the house -- he loves his mother, but sometimes she can just be too much. He decided to live back at home for his last couple years of school, making it easier to go into Queen Consolidated every weekday for his internship. It also made it easier to spend time with Thea during his increasingly busy schedule between work and school._

_Looking around at the club, all black tiles, sleek furniture and vibrant green lights illuminating the dance floor, he was glad to admit that he was impressed. When he'd first heard of his best friends plans to not return to school for the second semester and start a nightclub, he had been skeptical before realizing that this might be the perfect path for Tommy. Turns out he was right because here he is, barely four months later getting ready to help with the opening night of his friend's new business._

_Approaching the bar, Tommy noticed him while he finished up his conversation with the liquor supplier. He grinned as he made his way over, arms spread out wide as he looked around, "So what do you think Ollie? Ready for opening?"_

_Oliver smiled and pulled his friend into a quick hug, placing a few congratulatory pats to his back, "The place looks great. I'm proud of you, buddy."_

_"Thanks man," Tommy smiled and lead him to the bar, both men taking a seat. "So Laurel and I are gonna come back a little before 10 tonight just to make sure everything is ready. You bringing anybody? Laurel said her friend Lisa still wants to meet you."_

_He groaned, "No! And tell Laurel that she is never allowed to set me up ever again. Carrie still sends me love letters."_

_Tommy burst out laughing, "Seriously? That was like, six months ago!"_

_"I know! She's crazy. She had the names of our kids picked out by the second date. She told me them, Tommy."_

_"Okay, so Carrie was a bad pick. But Laurel has a lot of friends,_ cute _friends."_

_Oliver shook his head with a light chuckle, "I'll think about it."_

_"Good, it's nice to see you happy after Fe--" he cut himself off and cleared his throat at the immediate shift in the atmosphere surrounding them, "It's just been awhile since you've been in this good of a place."_

_He swallowed the lump in his throat, putting on a fake smile, "Yeah. It feels good."_

_Tommy smiled, a touch of sadness at the thought of his two best friends before noticing the time on the clock and standing, "I gotta finish up a couple things here before heading home to change and pick up Laurel."_

_He stood, "Yeah, I should head home too." He pulled in his best friend for another quick hug before making his way towards the exit. "I'll see you tonight."_

_"See ya!" Tommy called over his shoulder._

_He made it outside, the slightly cool air hitting his skin as he let out a deep breath he'd been holding since Tommy almost said her name. It'd been easier lately but still, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about her smile as he hopped on his bike and headed towards the mansion._

 

* * *

 

**February 2018**

Felicity's eyes flutter open making her flinch and hold up a hand against the harsh light peeking through the curtains and shining right in her face. She turns her head, momentarily confused as she takes in the unfamiliar surroundings before the night comes back to her and she recognizes the feel of the warm arm draped across her waist. A smile tugs up the corners of her lips as she rolls onto her other side to fully face Oliver, happy at the sight of him sound asleep and so relaxed and just  _there_ _._

Peering over his shoulder, she notices that it's almost 8:00, and she knows he has a very important meeting at 9:30 with a possible new investor. A smirk spreads across her face and she shifts closer to him, lifting a hand to run along his bicep as her lips find his cheek, his stubble tickling her skin when she makes her way across his jaw. Oliver stirs, his forearm tightening around her waist and bringing her closer, a soft sigh escaping past his lips. Felicity lifts her leg up, running her knee gently up and down his hip and laughing against his jaw when he groans. She releases a gasp when Oliver suddenly moves, pinning her back to the bed and staring down at her with darkened eyes. She unconsciously spreads her legs, allowing him to accommodate himself on top of her and she can feel his (sadly) clothed erection pressing up against her.

"Morning," she bats her eyelashes innocently at him.

"You're mean, you know that?" he nearly growls into the junction of her neck and shoulder causing her to giggle.

"What? You have to get ready for a meeting and it is my duty to wake you up."

"Yeah well, don't start something you don't plan on finishing." He lifts his head and his stern expression fades away at the sight of her, a small smile settling on his face, "Hi."

"Hi," she whispers back, lifting a hand to his cheek. "Oliver, I'm... I'm really happy."

"Me too." He closes the distance between them, placing a slow kiss to her lips before rolling off her and standing up from the bed.

Felicity shifts, sitting up slightly and leaning back on her elbows as she watches him grab some clothes from his closet, the muscles of his back tensing with every movement. "Mmm, I could get used to this view."

Oliver huffs a laugh and makes his way back into the room and towards the bathroom, "I'm gonna take a shower, help yourself to anything in the fridge."

"Kay," she hums happily and swings her legs over the side of the bed, cringing when her toes touch the cold hardwood floors. Quickly tiptoeing to his dresser, she pulls out a pair of thick socks and slips them on before making her way out towards the kitchen, the sound of the shower turning on coming from his master bathroom. Felicity curls her fingers into the long sleeves of one of Oliver's sweaters that she stole, and just opens the fridge when she hears a knock at the front door. Closing the door, her feet pad softly against the floor as she makes her way towards the hall curiously, wondering who would be here so early. Undoing the locks and swinging the door open, she freezes in place as she takes in the person in front of her with wide eyes.

McKenna stills, eyes fluttering up and down Felicity's body, taking in her appearance in Oliver's sweater and a pair of his boxers before she clenches her jaw and tightens her hold on the small cardboard box in her hands. "Felicity."

Felicity clears her throat to try and make her voice sound stronger than it is, "McKenna, hi."

"Is Oliver here?" the other woman asks tensely.

She shifts between both feet, "Um... He's in the shower actually..."

"Of course he is," McKenna mutters with a disbelieving laugh. She lifts her head, tilting her chin up to appear tougher than how she feels and extending her arms. "Can you please give this to him? It's some stuff he left at my apartment."

The blonde moves quickly, taking the box with a nod, "Of course!" She cringes at her voice that's just a little too loud and happy. "I'll um, I'll give it to him," she says quieter.

"Thank you." McKenna turns on her heels and begins to walk away only to pause at the sound of her name being called.

"McKenna?"

She sucks in a sharp breath and half-turns back towards the blonde that unintentionally destroyed her life, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry," Felicity projects with full sincerity, empathizing with the other woman's situation and the part she played in it.

"I hope you're proud of yourself, Felicity," she doesn't even try to keep her dislike out of her tone. Felicity blinks at her, not knowing what to say as she watches her walk away. Screwing her eyes shut at her own harsh words, McKenna turns around one more time, "Felicity."

She stops closing the door to look at the other woman curiously, not understanding what more there could be to say.

"Don't hurt him again."

"I won't," Felicity promises before shutting the door and leaning her back against it, feeling a little weight lift off her chest.

 

* * *

 

Oliver steps off the elevator, striding towards his office while looking down at his phone trying to shoot Tommy a text and ask him to get drinks later. Now that he and Felicity are officially back together, he can't help but feel excited to tell his other best friend, who he's sure will be thrilled considering some of his antics lately. He passes by Gretchen's desk, offering a smile.

"Well don't you look happy today," the older woman states as she stands from her desk.

"It's been a good day so far," he can't keep the smile from his voice even at his assistant's criticizing eyes.

She must choose to ignore his sudden happiness because instead, she begins moving towards the conference room, "Your 9:30 was early, he's waiting in the conference room. I already put in there all necessary documents."

Oliver turns to her with a genuine smile, "Thank you. What would I do without you?" he concludes with a wink before making his way through the glass doors of the conference room. At the sound of his footsteps, the man waiting turns around to face him, his broad shoulders filling out his expensive suit to match the expensive looking cut of his dark hair. Oliver takes him in before offering his hand, "Hi, thank you for coming out here. Oliver Queen."

The man shakes his hand firmly with a grin, "Of course, I know who you are. It's a pleasure. I'm Ray. Ray Palmer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	18. Maybe I'm Just Too Shy to Just Speak Up (Or I'm Afraid of What You Might Say)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**April 2014** _

_Checking the time on her phone, Felicity walked away from the airport Starbucks, vanilla latte in hand. Something about being in New York City just made her latte taste so much better. She looked up at the familiar voice calling her name and a wide smile immediately pulled up the corners of her mouth, long legs quickening her pace to make her way towards one of her closest friends. “Cait,” she squealed, tightly wrapping her arms around the brunette’s neck while still trying to keep a secure hold on her bag and coffee._

_“Felicity, it’s so good to see you! I’ve missed you so much,” Caitlin greeted the blonde, hugging her friend just as fiercely._

_“God, I’ve missed you too,” Felicity pulled back with a small laugh bubbling past her lips, a hand flying to her face to wipe away a stray tear caused by pure happiness at seeing her friend again._

_Caitlin laughed and hooked her arm in the crook of Felicity’s elbow, “Hey, no tears. I have a very eventful day planned. We can drop off your bag at my place and then we’ll start the fun!”_

_After a very long, exhausting day of shopping for dresses, picking out dining plates, registering for gifts, and other various tasks in the planning of Caitlin and Ronnie’s wedding, the girls returned to the young couple’s brownstone. Even though the wedding is going to be extremely small with just family and a few close friends, the bride wanted everything to be perfect. With Ronnie being a structural engineer for a prestigious lab in the city and Caitlin being a cardiac surgeon at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the pair owned a very nice, expensive-looking place with a guest room for Felicity to stay in. The girls walked through the front door, laughing at some patient Caitlin was telling Felicity about who thought he was a cat, when they noticed the brunette’s fiancé setting a salad bowl onto the dining room table. Felicity smiled and set some of her shopping bags down, “Ronnie!”_

_Ronnie grinned and pulled her into a hug, “Felicity. I’m glad you could come up this weekend, we’ve missed you.”_

_“You guys too. It’s been way too long since I’ve had me some Caitlin Snow,” she laughed and pulled away. “Although, I guess soon-to-be Caitlin Raymond. I’m so happy for you guys, I love weddings!”_

_The young couple chuckled, kissing each other in hello before Caitlin set some stuff down on the floor near the hallway. The blonde sat down at the dining table with her friends, amazed at how happy and in love they are, only feeling a slight pang in her chest at the thought of everything she doesn’t have anymore before plastering on a wide smile. “So Caitlin’s told me a lot, but I want to hear from you too. Tell me everything about your lives.”_

 

* * *

 

**March 2018**

Felicity makes her way out of the executive elevator, heels clacking against the tile floor as she walks. Her boss announced earlier this morning that he needed all the correspondents to check in with their clients by the end of the business day, and she could not be happier because her client just so happened to be her new -- old? -- boyfriend. Although technically, this check-in could’ve been done over the phone, but that’s beside the point. Things between her and Oliver have been amazing over the past five weeks, perfect even -- aside from the no sex, and that one fight they had because Felicity used his towel after her shower when she spent the night at his place. But in her defense, he always leaves it laying around anyway, most of the time on the bed leaving the comforter wet and smelling weird. She mentally scoffs at the memory.  _Men_. Everything else has been a dream come true, and when she thinks about all the years she wasted, the nights she spent wishing that she was laying in his arms, she hates herself for being such a coward. Because that’s exactly what she was -- a  _coward_ _._ She got scared and instead of facing her problems head on, she ran away. She won’t make that mistake again.

Gretchen looks up at the sound of Felicity's approaching steps and smiles at the young blonde, “Miss Smoak, it’s wonderful to see you. Mr. Queen is just finishing up a meeting with the company’s newest investor."

"Thank you, I'll just wait," she returns her smile easily and pulls out her phone, deciding to sift through her dozens of new emails. A soft smile pulls up the corners of her mouth when the sound of Oliver’s voice reaches her ears, thanking whoever it is that he was meeting with. But when the other man speaks, Felicity’s entire body freezes, her blood running cold. She knows that voice.  _No…_ Felicity takes a deep breath, slowly turning around in hopes that her suspicions are wrong, that the man she’d hoped to never see again isn’t actually standing behind her talking to the very reason he broke up with her to begin with. Her breath hitches when their eyes meet, her heart beating rapidly, and she waits for him to speak and probably destroy everything that she just worked so hard to get back.

“Hi. Ray Palmer,” he flashes her a charming smile and extends his right hand.

 _What? Definitely wasn’t expecting that._  She tries to hide her confusion by placing her hand in his, “Felicity Smoak.”

The shrill ringing of a phone breaks her from her trance and Felicity retracts her hand from his. Oliver turns to Ray, “Thanks again, Mr. Palmer. If you’ll excuse me, I have to get that. Felicity, it won’t take long.” He offers her a smile before retreating into his office and towards his oversized glass desk.

Felicity can finally move again and she takes the opportunity to grab Ray by the sleeve of his suit jacket, yanking him around the corner and out of Oliver’s line of sight. “What the hell are you doing here?” she grits out between clenched teeth.

Ray furrows his brows at her, “I just had a business meeting. I thought that was obvious.”

She rolls her eyes, "What are you doing in  _Starling_ _?"_

"I missed you," he says seriously before breaking into a grin at her horrified expression. "Felicity, I'm just here for work. My company just acquired a new location here in hopes of partnering up with Queen Consolidated."

"So you just coincidentally decided to partner up with the company owned by the man you dumped me over?" Okay. Clearly she's still a little bitter about that. Though, he wasn't entirely wrong in his accusations at the time. But that is _so_ not the point.

"Oh? Is that the same Oliver Queen?" he asks, clearly trying to be coy yet only serving to get on her nerves even more.

"Ray, what exactly is your game here? Why are you trying to get close to him? And why pretend like you don't even know me?"

"Felicity, I don't have any ulterior motives. I'm here because Queen Consolidated is one of the foremost companies in technological and scientific advancements as well as business opportunities in the country. And I figured that it would make everyone's lives easier if Oliver didn't know that his new business partner used to sleep with his girlfriend."

"I... But... Why would you think I'm his girlfriend?"

Ray tilts his head at her, "Felicity, I was around the two of you for only a minute back there, but I'm not blind. I guess I was right about him all along."

She sighs, feeling a bit guilty but still wary of his intentions. "Well thanks, I guess, for trying not to cause problems in my relationship. But I'm telling him about our history. I promised there'd be no more lies between us."

"Well, that's up to you then. But I'm not going to diffuse our partnership."

"Fine."

Ray nods before breaking out into a grin, "I have missed you, though. You look as beautiful as ever."

Felicity rolls her eyes again, "Goodbye, Ray." With that she turns on her heels back towards Oliver's office. Noticing that he's finished with his phone call, she heads right in, closing the door behind her with a soft thud causing him to look up and smile.

"So are you here to kidnap me? I could go for some lunch," Oliver grins as he stands and makes his way around his desk, pulling her into his embrace with his arms around her waist. He leans down and she accepts his kiss, keeping it brief knowing Gretchen is sitting just outside.

"I wish. I'm actually here on a business-related mission. Just a simple check-in with our clients. So, Mr. Queen, are you satisfied with your correspondent?” she flirts, batting her eyelashes up at him, arms loosely surrounding his waist and her hands rubbing slowly up and down his lower back.

Oliver smirks down at her, “Very satisfied. But not just with her work ethic.”

Her smile falls slightly and she bites her bottom lip, “Oliver, I have to tell you something. And I'm not sure how you're going to take it..." She nervously glances down at the floor.

His brows furrow in concern and his hand reaches up, tilting her chin to meet his eyes and easing her bottom lip from the assault of her teeth with his thumb. "Hey, whatever is going on, you can tell me."

Felicity takes a deep breath, finding the strength to speak from the pure love evident in his eyes. "The man I just met, Ray Palmer. That wasn't exactly the first time I've met him."

His eyebrows draw together in confusion as he drops his palm from her face, wrapping both hands loosely around her wrists. "What do you mean?"

"I knew him. At MIT. We... dated, actually," she gazes at his face trying to gauge his reaction.

“You dated him?  _That_  guy?” Oliver scoffs.

“That’s exactly what Tommy said,” she mutters with furrowed brows.

“What?”

“Nothing. The point is, yes, I dated him. Briefly. It wasn’t really serious,” she declares quickly.

"How long is 'briefly'?"

She hesitates, taking another long breath, "We dated for almost a year."

"A year?! Felicity! That is not 'briefly'!" Oliver backs away from her, fingers carding through the short strands of his hair.

"Obviously, you and I were broken up. And hey, you dated McKenna for just as long!"

"We were broken up because  _you_  ended things! How long after we broke up did you start seeing him? Or sleeping with him?" Oliver grits out the last question, trying to remain calm, but he can feel the anger setting in fast and uncontrollably.

She sighs in exasperation at his tone, "Around six months after we broke up is when we went on our first official date."

He stares at her in disbelief, his jaw clenched so tight it might hurt if he didn't feel numb. "I can't believe this," he mutters, dragging a hand down his face.

Felicity decides she's had enough. She was just being honest; she doesn't deserve this. "Y'know Oliver, I didn't have to tell you about him. Ray pretended not to know me because he didn't want you to freak out, but I decided that I didn't want to lie to you. I get that this might be a shock to you, but you have no right to be this angry. Especially when you got out of a year-long relationship, like, two months ago! I was miserable for months, hating myself for what I did. But then Tommy came to see me and he made it pretty clear that you were trying to move on so, why couldn't I? You were here making your way through half the city's female population while I've only slept with three guys in my entire life, one of which being  _you_ _!"_ She knows that was a low blow, but she is getting extremely annoyed right now.

"Yeah, and the other two being my best friend and apparently, my new business partner."

She glares at him, not believing what he just said to her. She shakes her head softly, "Y'know what, Oliver? Why don't you call me when you stop being a misogynistic hypocrite." She turns on her heels, stalking out of his office. With a hand on the door handle, she stops and tilts her head over her shoulder to see him staring after her. "And just for the record, he broke up with me because it was obvious I still had feelings for someone else. But I guess that could've been for anyone, considering I  _am_  the girl who slept with your best friend."

Oliver's stomach drops as the door swings closed with a soft thud, watching her retreating form through the glass windows.  _Fuck._

 

* * *

 

After leaving Queen Consolidated around 4:30, Felicity just needed some time to clear her head. She was so angry at what Oliver said, how he handled the situation when she was just trying to be honest. She decided to forego driving home and to get an early dinner at Big Belly Burger where she ended up staying for a couple hours, lost in thought. Felicity stands from her seat in the corner booth and slips her phone into her purse, the only people left in the restaurant being the cook and one of the waitresses, Wendy.

“You heading home to that handsome boyfriend of yours?” Wendy asks with a smile while she wipes down the countertop.

Felicity laughs but it lacks humor, “First, we don’t live together. And we had a fight today.”

Wendy tosses the rag aside and leans forward on her forearms, “Mind if I ask what happened?”

She sighs, “Just an ex-boyfriend resurfacing. We dated for a while during college, and now he’s in town and working with Oliver’s company.”

“Yikes. Boy-toy was mad?”

“Yup. But I don’t really get it. I mean, I understand why he would be upset at first because he has to work with Ray -- my ex. But he’s being totally hypocritical because first, it’s not like I cheated on him. We were broken up for six months. And second, he recently got out of a year-long relationship with someone. And then he made this comment about how I dated his best friend in high school. I just… I don’t know what to do anymore. We’ve been back together for five weeks now, but if he still can’t even trust me, I don’t know if we have a future.”

Wendy nods her head, obviously deep in thought. “Have you tried to think of the situation from his perspective? Felicity, I don’t really know him that well, but from the few times you’ve come in here with him and from everything you’ve told me, I can see how much he loves you. When you did whatever you did, you hurt him. Maybe he’s just looking for an excuse not to trust you so he won’t get hurt again.”

She stares down at the counter, thinking over Wendy’s words carefully. Pushing people away to protect himself is literally ‘Oliver 101’. She should’ve seen it; she shouldn't have walked out of his office. She needs to see him. The blonde looks up with a small smile tugging up the corners of her mouth, “Thanks Wendy. Have a good night.”

“You too!”

Felicity throws her bag over her shoulder and turns on her heels, making her way through the front door and into the parking lot towards her car. She glances down, popping open the clasp of her purse and digging inside for her keys. Reaching her car, she stops in front of the driver’s side, digging more aggressively in search of her lost keys. She doesn’t even realize that someone is following her until she feels the cold metal against her temple and her entire body goes still.

“Make a sound and I shoot,” a deep voice growls into her ear. She feels her heart start to beat faster and her breathing become a bit uneven. “Turn around, bitch!” the man yells.

She takes a deep breath, unable to believe that this is actually happening to her right now, before carefully turning around and coming face to face with a man wearing a hoodie and a black ski mask, “Please. Don’t hurt me.”

“Shut up!” The man lifts the arm not holding the gun and slaps her across the face with the back of his hand.

Felicity whimpers and falls back, colliding with the side of her car, immediately bringing a hand to her burning cheek as her eyes reflexively start to water.

“Give me your purse,” he demands, his voice harsh as he pushes the gun closer to her face. She obeys, removing her bag from her shoulder and handing it over to him. He yanks it from her hands and smirks, “Thanks.”

He lifts the gun high before bringing it back down rapidly, connecting the butt of it to Felicity’s temple. She falls against the car and then to the ground with a cry of pain, her eyes struggling to stay open, and she feels something wet start to trail down the side of her face. She can see the man running away from her but it's blurry, like she's looking through water. From a distance, she hears someone shout her name, the voice sounding vaguely familiar. Felicity feels tired, her eyes starting to close when she feels a warm hand touch her cheek, but all she can think of is one face and one word. “Oliver.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	19. Am I Losing My Mind For Better or For Worse? (Cause It Doesn’t Feel Right)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

**_May 2014_ **

_Oliver walked into the Queen mansion on a mission, waving at Raisa in hello before making his way up the grand staircase, gift bag in hand. Moira had decided earlier that morning that it would be best to cancel their annual scheduled brunch at the boat house because Thea caught the flu from someone at school. He knew how much she'd been beginning to struggle lately, ever since the father-daughter dance last month that she couldn't attend, and being sick definitely wasn’t what she needed. He stopped in the hallway, raising a hand and knocking gently on the door. At the sound of a faint voice, he opened the door and the sight in front of him broke his heart. His poor baby sister lay curled up in a ball, huddled underneath her comforter with a bucket discarded on the floor beside her bed in case she felt nauseous._

_“Ollie?” she muttered, her eyes fluttering open._

_He smiled and made his way towards her, closing the door behind him. “Hey Speedy. How you doin’? Mom told me you’re a little sick.”_

_“I feel like death.”_

_Oliver barked out a laugh causing her to grunt and bury her face into her pillow. He sat beside her on the bed and dangled the gift bag in front of her face enticingly, “I brought you some stuff.”_

_She opened one eye, a smile tugging up the corners of her mouth, and she sat up as best she could against her headboard. She stuck out her lanky arms, flexing her fingers back and forth. “Gimme!”_

_He chuckled but obeyed, handing over the bag and she quickly began pulling out some DVDs. “I wanted to bring you some chocolate but I figured that probably wouldn't help with the whole gross vomiting thing.”_

_Thea stuck her tongue out at him, “Shut up, Ollie. I haven't puked yet but now when I do, I’ll make sure it’s all over your face.”_

_“Hey!” He laid a hand over his heart feigning hurt, “After I brought you movies?”_

_“Chocolate would’ve been better.”_

_“Oh, okay. I see how it is. Then I guess you don’t want the next present. Feel better, Speedy,” he shrugged, standing up with a sigh only to be tugged back down by his baby sister’s small hands._

_“Sorry. I love the movies. Now what else you got for me?” she nearly begged, her eyes twinkling up at him._

_He laughed again and pulled out a charm bracelet from his pocket. “I’ve actually been designing this for a while just for you. I know how much you love the beach and when we used to go on the Queen’s Gambit with Dad."_

_Her eyes immediately watered and flu completely forgotten, she launched herself at him, arms looping around his neck and hugging him tightly. He was taken aback at first but soon wrapped his arms around her waist. “I love you, Ollie,” Thea whispered._

_“I love you too, Speedy.” Oliver pulled away with a smile, “Now what do you say we have a movie marathon? Just like when you were little.”_

_Thea smiled at her big brother, feeling happy for the first time in what felt like forever. “Okay.”_

 

* * *

 

**March 2018**

After their fight, Felicity stormed out of Oliver’s office and he couldn’t really blame her; he was an ass. Yes, the news that she had dated a man who is now one of his business partners came as a shock to him, but she was right -- he overreacted. The things he’d said to her were uncalled for, and he behaved like a total hypocrite. After taking a few deep breaths, he moves back to his desk to finish up some paperwork, ignoring Gretchen’s imposing stares as he tries to focus. His attempts prove useless as he sits in his chair, tense and irritated until he can’t take it anymore and calls it a day. Shortly after, he finds himself sitting at the bar at Verdant sans his tie and jacket, sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms and a scotch in front of him. His hand runs up his leg, absentmindedly reassuring himself that what was in his pocket is still there, while he lifts the other and drags it down his face with a deep sigh. The seat next to him gets pulled out and he hears the familiar voice of his best friend.

“Ollie, I’m so glad you’re here. I got some news and I’m not supposed to tell anyone yet but it’s killing me and why do you look like someone kicked your puppy?” Tommy rambles quickly, clapping a hand on the other man’s shoulder with a huffed laugh.

Oliver drops his hand and turns to his friend, “I’m a dick.”

He laughs, “Yeah, what else is new?” Tommy sobers up his expression at the glare he receives. “Sorry. What’s going on?”

“Y’know that new investor at QC I told you about, Ray Palmer? Turns out Felicity dated him when she lived in Boston.”

He sucks in a sharp breath through his nose. “Yeah. I know.”

Oliver quickly turns his head towards his friend, eyebrows raised high. “What? You know him?”

“Yeah, I met him once or twice when I visited Lis. Look, it was a few years ago and you’ve dated other people too. And you guys are finally together and happy now, so I didn’t think it was worth it to say anything about it. If Felicity wanted to tell you about him, then she deserved the chance,” Tommy explains. “I take it she told you about him?”

He sighs, “Yup. And I reacted pretty badly. I was a jerk, and I said some things; she walked out. I tried calling her but she didn't answer.”

He looks at his friend sympathetically, “Sorry, man. Lis loves you. She probably just needs the night. I’m sure you guys will talk tomorrow and work everything out. You’ve been through too much to end over some stupid guy from her past.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“What exactly did you say to her?”

Oliver glances down in shame, shrugging his shoulders, “I kinda just pointed out the fact that she’s slept with both my best friend and my new business partner.”

“Dude!” Tommy slaps him on the arm, “What the hell?”

“I know! I didn’t mean it like that, obviously. It just came out. But it’s not untrue…”

“But you can’t blame her for that, man. I mean, when you think about it, we have a very incestuous group of friends. First you and Laurel, then me and Lis. Then you and Sara. Then you and Lis, and then me and Laurel. And between the two of us, you mostly, probably half the city’s female population.”

He huffs a laugh at the sense of deja vu, “That’s exactly what Felicity said. The part about half the population, not the incest. Though, none of us are even related except Laurel and Sara. But in my defense, I never slept with Sara.”

“Yeah, yeah. Look, everything between you and Lis will be fine once you talk, trust me,” Tommy reassures his best friend with a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Thanks.” Oliver turns to his friend with a small smile, “So what’s your news?”

“Laurel told me not to tell anyone.”

“Dude, c’mon.”

He takes a deep breath, fighting a smile before giving in, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Laurel’s pregnant.”

His eyes widen almost comically before he smiles, standing up and pulling his friend into a hug. “Wow. Congratulations, man.” He pulls away and sits back on the stool, “How far along is she?”

“Eight weeks. We just had it confirmed by the doctor a couple days ago. She said we’re not supposed to tell anyone but it’s you, I tell you everything and God knows there was no way I was keeping this in for another five weeks.”

“Well, I’m glad you told me. I’m really happy for you guys. Next round’s on me”

“Thanks Ollie. Though I own the bar so technically, everything is on me.” Tommy smiles at his best friend with a small laugh. Oliver returns it easily, finishing off the rest of his scotch and lifting a hand to flag down the bartender. Two of his closest friends are having a baby and tomorrow he’ll call Felicity, and everything will be fine again; it has to be.

 

* * *

 

Sara unlocks the front door to their townhouse, exhausted after a long day of teaching several different classes, a few including annoying ten-year-olds. All she wants to do is curl up on the couch with her wife and watch a movie, maybe even convince Nyssa to give her a foot rub. Pushing the door open, her eyes land on said woman sitting with her feet tucked under herself on the couch, raven hair in a messy bun atop her head and a book in her hands. A smile immediately tugs up the corners of her lips at the sight of the love of her life so at peace in their home. She sets her gym bag on the floor, toeing off her shoes and placing her keys in the bowl on the end table by the door. The rustling sound alerts Nyssa to her presence and she raises her head, a bright smile spreading across her face.

“Hey sweetie. Rough day at the office?” the brunette asks with a small chuckle, taking in Sara’s tired demeanor.

The other woman groans, plopping down on the couch and sinking back into the cushions with a contented sigh. “Why do we have classes for those little brats?”

“Because they have rich parents?”

A laugh bubbles past her lips and she opens her eyes, turning her head to look at her wife. She lifts her hands, palms framing Nyssa’s face as she leans forward to connect their lips in a slow, tender kiss. They're interrupted by the sound of Sara’s phone ringing causing the blonde to pull away with a groan. Nyssa laughs and goes back to reading her book as Sara stands and makes her way to her discarded bag, pulling her phone out. She furrows her brows, not recognizing the number before sliding her thumb across the screen. “Hello?”

 _“Yes, I'm looking for a Mrs. Sara Lance?”_  an unfamiliar female voice sounds.

Sara’s confusion only deepens, “This is she.”

_“I have you listed as the emergency contact for Felicity Smoak, is that correct?”_

Her entire body stiffens immediately at the mention of her best friend, “Yeah, that's correct. Is she okay? What happened?”

_“I'm afraid Miss Smoak was attacked earlier this evening around 10:00. She's currently at Starling General Hospital. If you head right up to the third floor, you can obtain more information about her status at the main desk.”_

“Okay. Tha - thank you,” she stutters before hanging up and meeting Nyssa's concerned gaze.

“Sara, what's wrong? Who was that?”

She remains frozen, barely managing to speak but she forces the words out, “The hospital. Felicity. She's in the hospital. She - she was attacked. She --,” her voice fades out and her hands start shaking, tears forming in her eyes.

Nyssa is on her feet faster than lighting, hands enclosing around her wife's. “Okay, Sara? Shh. Take a deep breath. Okay? Just like this.” She begins to demonstrate taking deep breaths in through her nose and out through her mouth until Sara mimics her. She nods her head, “Good, good. Now we're going to put on some shoes and grab our coats. We're going to drive to the hospital, okay?”

After she's calmed down a little bit, Sara nods her head slowly continuing to breathe deeply. “Okay.”

Both women do as Nyssa said, putting on their shoes and grabbing their coats. The brunette picks up the car keys, moving towards the door and only stopping briefly to turn back towards her very concerned wife. She squeezes her hand in comfort, “Felicity is going to fine.” Sara nods her head and allows Nyssa to pull her out to the car, desperate to make sure her best friend is okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	20. Tell Me That You Want Me (And I’ll Be Yours Completely)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**July 2014** _

_Felicity lifted her glass to her mouth, taking a sip of her pomegranate martini. She sat at the bar of the Columbus Hotel in Manhattan where she was attending a tech conference for her new boss, and after a long day surrounded by a bunch of other computer nerds, she decided she needed a night off. So, she bought a new outfit and headed down here for a much-needed drink after the year she’d had. She lifted her glass to take another sip. “Felicity?” a familiar voice asked, surprise evident in their tone._

_Setting her drink down, she turned halfway around in her stool. Her mouth opened slightly, “Tommy?”_

_The man in question smiled and made his way over to her, tugging her into a tight hug. “Lis, what are you doing here?”_

_“Me? I live one state away. What are_ you _doing here?” she pulled away, still in shock._

_Tommy laughed, “Laurel is here for some law thing and I tagged along. Let me guess, you’re here for that techy meeting I saw a sign for. Wow, Lis, you look so different; still beautiful, though. Did you cut your hair?”_

_“Yes, I am. And thank you, I decided it was time for a change. It’s so crazy running into you right now.”_

_“A nice surprise,” He smiled and dragged out the stool next to her, taking a seat and flagging down the bartender. “So what do you say we catch up? Have some drinks like the good ‘ol days,” he smirked._

_Felicity barked out a laugh, “Tommy, we both know that partying and drinking was more your thing. I was just an innocent bystander-turned-babysitter.”_

_“That’s because you were such a lightweight. Seriously, one sip of anything stronger than cough syrup and you were wasted. Remember that time you threw up on Carter Bowen?”_

_“Sadly,” she cringed. “Lucky for you, I’ve learned how to hold my liquor.”_

_Tommy smirked just as the bartender placed four shots in front of them, “We’ll see about that.”_

_Two hours later and Tommy had proved that Felicity could not, in fact, hold her liquor. Apparently, neither could Tommy anymore. They stumbled around the corner, falling into the wall causing another fit of giggles to bubble past Felicity’s lips. He lifted a finger to his mouth, “Shhh! Lis, we’re gonna get in trouble if you don't keep it down.”_

_She clutched onto his shirt tightly, trying to keep her balance while attempting to remove her heels, her earrings swaying with her choppy movements. “Don’t be such a scaredy cat.” After a minute, her feet were finally freed and she shoved her shoes in his hands, a wicked glint in her eyes._

_“Felicity,” Tommy warned, scared of what she might do._

_“Let’s go swimming!” Before he could even blink, she darted across the hall and to the staircase, running up to the floor that housed the indoor pool. He had no choice but to follow, bursting through the door with panting breaths to find his blonde friend already stripping, her strapless black bra visible where her dress pooled around her waist._

_“Lis,” he set down her shoes, hands braced on his knees as he breathed deeply and tried to channel the last 5% of his sobriety to think clearly. Usually the rationalizing was Felicity’s job, not his. “The pool is closed to guests. We’re gonna get arrested.”_

_“Don’t be such a baby!” Finally stepping out of her dress to reveal her matching black panties, she turned around and attempted to dive into the pool, though she ended up doing a very ungraceful, painful-looking belly flop. Tommy cringed at the noise but when she resurfaced, she seemed totally unscathed, pulling out her hair tie and giggling. “C’mon, who’s gonna know?”_

_He huffed a laugh but relented, unbuttoning his shirt and slipping off his dress shoes and jeans until he was left standing in just his boxers. Tommy ran towards the pool, speed only increasing at the sound of her laughs, before he jumped in, his body curling to form a cannonball._

_“See? This is fun,” Felicity smiled innocently once he resurfaced, splashing him lightly in the face._

_“You’re right, as usual. Since when did you become such a rebel, Lis? Boston’s changed you,” he teased, wading closer to her until they came to a stop at the stairs, both leaning back against them._

_“Don’t tell me you’ve gone soft on me now that you’re in a committed, grown-up relationship. You and Oliver used to do this kind of shit all the time,” Felicity joked and then immediately regretted her words, the air shifting noticeably at the mention of their mutual best friend. She stared down at the water, hand slowly wading back and forth causing the jewels on her bracelet to twinkle in the room’s low lighting. Clearing her throat, she kept her eyes downcast, “Speaking of Oliver… How is he?”_

_Tommy glanced at her with sympathy, “Good. Really good, actually. Living at home, working at QC. But, how are you? How’s Ray?”_

_The blonde let out a bitter laugh, “I wouldn’t know. He dumped me a couple months ago because I’m still so pathetically in love with someone who hates my guts.”_

_“Lis,” he whispered, sliding an arm around her and pulling her close to him so that her head could rest against his shoulder._

_“I’m really glad I ran into you, Tommy,” Felicity confessed with a sigh, her eyes closed._

_A small smile pulled up the corners of his mouth, “Yeah. Me too.”_

 

* * *

 

**March 2018**

Sara sits against the hard plastic chair, leg bouncing rapidly as she bites on her thumbnail. Nyssa appears from around the corner, holding out a styrofoam cup to her wife, “Here. Coffee.”

The blonde takes it with a grateful smile, the warmth immediately making her feel slightly better while they wait. Just as Nyssa is about to sit, a doctor comes into the nearly empty waiting room. “Family of Felicity Smoak?”

Sara stands out of her chair so quickly it nearly topples over before making a beeline for the middle-aged man in scrubs and a lab coat. “Me! That's me, I'm her emergency contact.”

“I'm Dr. Carmichael. I'm sure you know that Miss Smoak was attacked earlier outside of a diner. The assailant seems to have hit her in the head with a weapon, most likely a gun. A witness says she lost consciousness quickly at the scene. She had a small laceration from the hit just above her left eyebrow that only required a few stitches. We've done a CT scan and an MRI, and have found some minor swelling in her brain. However, I'd like to keep her here overnight and at least one more day until the swelling resolves itself.”

The women stay silent for a moment, taking everything in before Nyssa speaks, “So she's going to be okay?”

“Yes, she will make a full recovery once she wakes up.”

Sara lets out the breath she'd been holding since the doctor had walked into the room, squeezing Nyssa’s hand tightly, “And when will she wake up?”

“That would be up to her. It could be minutes or a few hours, but it's nothing to be concerned about,” Dr. Carmichael smiles, “Your friend is going to be fine. You can go into her room now, but only one visitor at a time.”

“Thank you,” Nyssa says before he walks away towards the counter. After a moment, Sara gasps loudly next to her, her hands flinging to cover her mouth and her eyes wide. The brunette becomes worried, “What? What is it?”

“Oliver! I have to call him,” Sara moves to where her bag sits on the floor by her abandoned chair, searching frantically for her cell. “Oh my god, I am a terrible friend! She could be dead and he wouldn't even know! Where is my damn phone?!”

Nyssa hurries over to her, grabbing her wrists and holding them still, “Sara!”

She freezes, taking in a few deep breaths. “Sorry.”

“It's alright. Just calm down. Felicity is not dead, okay? You heard the doctor, she is going to be fine. Now let's calmly find your phone and call Oliver.  _Calmly_ _.”_

“Okay,” Sara slowly goes back to her bag, locating her phone right away and finding Oliver's number in her contacts. The phone rings a couple times and she taps her foot slowly, one hand on her hip. “C’mon, pick up,” she whispers and then the phone stops ringing.

_“Hello? Sara? It's the middle of the night.”_

She breathes a sigh of relief at the sound of his voice before bracing herself for what is bound to be his freak-out. “Oliver, something's happened. You need to come to the hospital.”

 

* * *

 

Oliver runs through the doors to the third floor, not even out of breath after sprinting up the stairs. Everything that he’s done since he picked up that phone has been like he’s on autopilot, like he hasn’t even had to think.

_“Hello? Sara? It’s the middle of the night,” he grumbled, running his free hand over his eyes._

_He heard Sara release a sigh at the sound of his voice before she spoke, her voice not completely steady, “_ Oliver, something’s happened. You need to come to the hospital. Felicity was attacked tonight, we’re on the third floor. She’s --” _her voice cut off as he abruptly hung up the phone. Felicity was attacked. She was in the hospital. She was hurt. Oliver stood up, ignoring his slightly throbbing head, not even bothering to change out of his suit that he’d fallen asleep in after coming home from Verdant, before practically running out his loft to get to her._

Turning around the corner, Oliver is about to ask a nurse where he can find Felicity when he sees Nyssa and Sara, the latter standing up abruptly upon seeing him. He makes his way towards where she stands, wringing her hands together in a worried manner. “Sara, what the hell happened?!” Oliver nearly yells, trying to remain calm but quickly beginning to lose it at the thought of Felicity hurt, bleeding or worse.

“She was mugged outside of Big Belly Burger. He just took her purse and then hit her in the head. My dad is already on it and the doctor said she has some minor swelling in her brain that should resolve itself in a few days, but Oliver,” she reaches out and grabs one of his hands in her own smaller one, “She’s okay. She’ll be fine once she wakes up.”

Oliver sucks in a sharp breath, “Where is she?” Sara gives him a small smile and turns halfway, pointing to one of the rooms in a nearby hallway. He nods stiffly in thanks before pulling his hand from hers and making his way in the direction of her room. When he reaches the door, he takes a deep breath to brace himself before finally looking through the small window, his breath catching in his throat. Oliver tentatively sticks out a hand, connecting with the doorknob and turning it, and the door is suddenly closed behind him and he’s standing in her room. He doesn't even remember taking the remaining steps, his eyes focused solely on the blonde lying unconscious in a hospital bed. She looks peaceful, and he would think she is sleeping if not for the large white bandage taped to the left side of her forehead.

His vision blurs with unshed tears and he closes the remaining distance between them, dragging the chair in the corner right up next to her bed and sitting in it. Felicity shifts slightly, turning her head towards him, almost like she can sense that he’s there. He leans his elbows forward on the edge of the bed, breathing out a sigh of relief when he encases her small hand in his two large ones. Her skin is soft and warm, reassuring him that she’s alive, though he won’t truly believe that she’s okay until she is awake and babbling.

Oliver sucks in a deep breath, clearing his throat before attempting to speak, “Felicity…,” he whispers, quickly lifting a hand to wipe away a falling tear before surrounding her hand once more. “I am so sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t been such a jerk, we would have been together and this never would’ve happened. I could’ve protected you. I promise you that when Captain Lance finds this guy, he’s going to regret ever being born,” his jaw clenches at the thought of the low-life that hurt his girl. “I don't care about you and Ray, or you and Tommy. I just care about _you.”_

She makes a small mumbling sound and for a second he thinks, hopes, that she might be waking up, but she doesn't; she just rubs her cheek against the pillow. Once she falls silent, he continues to speak. “God Felicity, when Sara called me and said that you were hurt I… my heart stopped. It _actually_ stopped beating at the thought of living without you. I've lived that life before and I refuse to do it again. I love you so fucking much. And I know that Sara said you were gonna be okay, but I won’t believe it until you open those beautiful blue eyes of yours and take my breath away like you’ve been doing for the last eighteen years. Open your eyes so you can see this, for real this time.”

He reaches into his front pocket, pulling out the familiar worn velvet box. Staring down at it, he releases a breathless laugh, “I’ve been carrying this around with me for five weeks, ever since we got back together. I’ve just been waiting for the right moment, the  _perfect_  moment to ask if you would make me the happiest man in the world by becoming my wife, because that’s what you deserve.” Oliver covers his face with his hands and lets out a sigh, “I am such an idiot.”

“Ol’ver?”

His head whips up at the mumbled sound of her voice, a smile gracing his face at the sight of her eyes slowly blinking open. “Felicity,” he breathes out before basically attacking her, smashing his lips against hers. She releases the cutest little noise of surprise before he shifts in exchange for a hug, burying his face in the space between her neck and shoulder, his fingers entwining with the soft strands of her hair. “Thank God you’re okay. You are never allowed to scare me like that ever again, do you hear me?”

“What… What happened?” she asks, deeply confused by where she is and why he's crushing her.

He pulls away slowly and foregoes sitting back in the chair, instead situating himself on the side of the bed so he can cradle her cheek, his thumb running back and forth over her smooth skin. His brows draw together slightly, “You don't remember? Baby, you were mugged outside Big Belly. I am so sorry; this is all my fault. Earlier you were trying to be open and honest with me, and I was an ass. I'm so sorry.” His voice cracks at the end, the guilt evident in his eyes as he stares down at her.

Felicity reaches up a hand to his jaw, fingers carding through the scruff covering his skin. “Stop. Not everything is your fault, y'know.” He huffs a laugh at the small smile she gives him before it disappears from her face. She gazes up at him, eyes still a bit glassy from sleep before she whispers, “Yes.”

His brows draw together in confusion, “What?”

“Yes. I'll marry you.”

Oliver’s eyes widen slightly as his mouth falls open, “You - you heard that?”

She grins and nods her head slowly, “I did. You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you ask me that. And it only took me being in the hospital to make it happen,” she jokes.

A small smile plays at the corners of his lips, “Well technically, I didn't actually ask you.”

Her brows furrow softly and the most adorable little pout Oliver has ever seen comes across her face. “You should do that. Soon, because I feel like I might pass out again.”

He laughs again before reaching out to grab the discarded box from the chair he once occupied, staring down at it in his hand. He's had this box for so long and he never thought he'd ever get the chance to give it to someone, because if it couldn't be Felicity, it wouldn't be anyone else. Sighing, he turns the box towards the love of his life before flicking the top open, revealing the most beautiful ring.

Felicity's eyes well up with tears, her hand ghosting over the ring without really touching it. “This is the same ring, the same one I found all those years ago. You kept it all this time?” she asks in disbelief, her voice just above a whisper.

“Of course I did. A part of me always knew you'd end up wearing it one day.” Their eyes connect and he smiles, taking a deep breath. “So. Felicity Megan Smoak, will you marry me?”

She nods her head vigorously, ignoring the pain it elicits as tears finally leak from the corners of her eyes. “Hell yes.”

Oliver smiles so wide it hurts his cheeks before he leans down, both hands bracing the sides of her face as he connects their lips once more, seeing his life with her flash before his eyes and feeling so utterly complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	21. Sirens Are Screaming (But I Can't Hear a Single Sound)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

_**September 2014** _

_Felicity stepped out of the cab, dragging her bag with her as she thanked the cab driver. She set down her bag next to her on the lawn before straightening up and taking in the house before her. Even though she hadn’t been here in a couple years, it was still as cute and welcoming as she remembered. And Atlanta was just as warm; the last time she’d been here was for her mother’s wedding to Michael, where she’d been the maid of honor at the small ceremony, and it had been nearly 90 degrees. She was pulled from her memory at the sound of the front door opening and her mother’s screeching voice._

_“Ahhh!” Donna screamed, running out of the house as fast as she could in her sky-high heels. “My baby girl! Oh, you look so beautiful!”_

_Laughing, Felicity wrapped her arms around her mother and returned her hug fiercely. She really had missed her. “Hi, mom. Where’s Michael?”_

_“He’s still at work. Oh baby, I am so sorry that we couldn’t come to your graduation. Did you get my care package?” Donna asked, one hand laid on her daughter’s cheek while the other one gently stroked her hair._

_“Yes, I loved the bubble bath set.” she smiled and glanced down when a fluffy little dog ran out of the open front door and towards them, sitting by her feet and barking up at her. She chuckled and bent down, picking up the tiny welsh corgi. “And who is this little cutie?” she said in her go-to animal voice._

_Donna stuck out a hand, scratching behind the dog’s ear, “This is Bailey. We adopted her about six months ago. Now c’mon. Let’s get you settled inside because Michael should be home for dinner soon.”_

_About an hour later, Felicity sat at the kitchen counter after having unpacked her bag in the spare bedroom, eating carrots straight out of the bag. Donna flitted around the kitchen, not even bothering to ask for help because she knew Felicity couldn’t cook to save her life. The younger blonde couldn’t help but watch her mother and wonder when she'd learned to cook, thinking about her childhood. Before she moved to Starling and had lived in Vegas, Donna never made anything; they would usually always end up eating whatever was the special at the casino that night after Felicity had gotten home from school or before, day care. She doesn’t even remember a time where her father had been there for her -- just vague memories before the achingly vivid one of him driving away and never coming back. Growing up in Starling had been good, though. When her mother couldn’t be home because she was working, Felicity usually found herself spending most of her time at the Queen or Merlyn Mansion with Tommy and Oliver and his family. She and Donna may not have spent as much time together as she would’ve liked, but they could still talk and they loved each other to death._

_The sound of the front door opening pulled Felicity from her thoughts and she turned in her stool, popping a carrot into her mouth before heading towards her step-father. “Hey,” she greeted, accepting his hug._

_“Felicity, it’s so wonderful to have you here for the weekend,” Michael welcomed, pulling away with a smile._

_“I’m happy to be here, it’s been too long.”_

_“Yes, it has,” he agreed before making his way into the kitchen and placing a kiss to Donna’s cheek in hello. Felicity sat back in her chair, scooping up Bailey on her way and cuddling the little fur ball to her chest. She took in the sight in front of her, loving how happy her mother was and enjoying her new family._

_After dinner, Michael helped with the dishes before heading up to bed, having to run some errands early in the morning so that they could all spend the day together tomorrow. Felicity curled up on the plush couch, Donna sitting beside her with Bailey settled in her lap. The older blonde gazed at her daughter with a raised eyebrow, “So I know that you said that you just missed us, but I can tell that’s not the real reason for this little visit. Talk to me, baby girl.”_

_Felicity sighed, resting her head in her hand where her elbow was propped up on the back of the sofa. “I don’t know what I’m doing, mom. I’m so lost.”_

_“Oh, sweetie,” she reached out a hand, clasping her daughter’s in her own._

_“I just… I miss Oliver,” she confessed and it was like a weight lifted off her shoulders at finally admitting it out loud to someone. “I miss him so much, every day. And I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried to forget; I’ve tried to move on... And I know it’s pathetic but… I am still so in love with him that I can’t even breathe.” She finished her mini rant, a few tears trailing down her cheeks, and she lifted a hand to wipe furiously at them._

_“Honey,” Donna set Bailey on the ground, the dog scampering away, and engulfed Felicity in a bone crushing hug. “You are_ not _pathetic, Felicity. You are just a girl who fell in love with a boy when she was seven years old and has never stopped. That is not pathetic. Sweetie, I know that you got scared, and that’s okay. You were just a kid. But you’ve grown up now, and you can make things right.”_

_Felicity sniffled, “How?”_

_“You should go see him. You should find Oliver and just talk to him.”_

_A disbelieving laugh bubbled past her lips, “I can’t do that. Are you crazy? I cannot do that.”_

_Donna gave her a small smile, “Why not?”_

 

* * *

 

**March 2018**

Oliver glances up from his phone at the sound of the door opening and immediately stands from his seat when a nurse wheels Felicity back into her room. When they’re a few feet from the bed, Felicity holds up a hand, signaling the nurse to stop, with a roll of her eyes, “I can walk. I hurt my head, I didn’t break my legs.” Oliver holds in a snicker at the look on the nurse's face as she stands and situates herself back in bed.

After a second, the nurse offers a small smile, “Of course. It’s just hospital procedure.” She starts backing her way out of the room with the wheelchair. “The doctor will be here in a few minutes to discuss your latest scans,” she informs before exiting the room, closing the door on her way out.

He makes his way to stand at his fiancée’s side. God, he loves being able to call her that. “How are you?”

Felicity huffs, “I’m fine! I’ve been here since last night and I just want to go home. Seriously, I feel fine. Actually, I feel kind of naked.” She holds out her palm and smiles sweetly at him, “Ring please.”

Chuckling, Oliver pulls her engagement ring that she had to take off for her scans out of his pocket and delicately places it on her left hand, lifting it to his lips and placing a kiss to her finger. “Better?”

“Yes,” she smiles and settles her messy hair to one side, “Necklace too.”

He lifts the heart-shaped necklace he’d given her so many years ago from the stand next to her bed and leans forward, winding his hands around the back of neck and fastening the clasp. She lets her hair fall back in place and he places a tender kiss to her lips. “Still feel naked?”

Felicity shakes her head, peering up at him with a familiar twinkle in her eyes, “Nope. But I wish we  _were_  naked. Right. Now.”

His eyes darken as he sucks in a sharp breath at her words. Oliver is about to say something when the door opens from behind him causing him to move from where he was leaning over her to a position beside her. Dr. Carmichael steps into the room, looking up from his clipboard with a bright smile. “Felicity, how are you feeling?”

She sighs, “I feel fine. I just want to go home.”

Dr. Carmichael laughs as he stops at the foot of her bed, “Well, I have some good news. Your latest scans have showed that the swelling in your brain has gone down significantly. I would like for you to stay for just a few more hours, but you can definitely be discharged tonight.”

Felicity releases a sigh of relief, squeezing Oliver’s hand. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“Now, I would like for someone to be monitoring you when you return home. Someone to wake you a few times during sleep and check on you for a couple days just to make sure you don’t have too bad a concussion. Someone will also need to bring you back here in a couple of days to remove your stitches, which shouldn’t even leave a scar. Do you live alone?”

She opens her mouth to say yes when Oliver’s voice cuts her off, “No. She lives with me. I’ll be sure to take good care of her.”

Felicity stares at him as the doctor says goodbye and leaves the room. “I don’t live with you,” she finally blurts out when Oliver looks down at her.

He furrows his brows slightly, “I know. But I want you too. Not just right now, while you're recovering. For good.”

“You want me to move in with you? Really?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I mean, we’re getting married.”

A smile pulls up the corners of her mouth, “And you don’t have a problem with living in sin?”

He grins back at her, “Not if it’s with you.”

“Okay then,” Felicity laughs. “You do know that you’re probably the sappiest person I know, right?”

He shrugs one shoulder before he feels his phone buzz in his pocket, pulling it out and lifting it to his ear. “This is Oliver Queen,” he answers with a slight frown at the unfamiliar number.

“Queen. It’s Quentin Lance,” the man explains in a gruff voice.

“Captain, what can I do for you?”

“Well, I just thought you’d like to know that we caught the man who attacked Miss Smoak. He was caught trying to use one of her credit cards, at a strip club of all places. His name is Kyle Reston, has a record ranging from identity theft to armed robbery. If you want to come down to the station, we have recovered Miss Smoak’s purse and other belongings,” Lance explains.

Oliver clenches his jaw at the thought of the man who hurt Felicity and he curls his free hand into a fist, just itching to pound that guy’s skull in. “Thank you, I’m on my way.” He hangs up the phone and takes a deep breath before turning to Felicity.

“Who was that?” she asks, eyeing him curiously.

He lifts a hand to her face, stroking his thumb over her cheekbone. “That was Captain Lance. They arrested the guy who attacked you. I’m gonna go to the station and get your stuff.”

“Oh,” she breathes out before sending him a small smile. “That’s good, then. Hurry back so I can escape this joint.”

He huffs a laugh and places a kiss to her forehead before making his way over to the chair against the wall to grab his leather jacket. “I'll stop by your townhouse on my way back and pick up some clothes for you. We can have the rest moved to my loft tomorrow.”

“Don't you mean  _our_  loft?” she grins.

“Of course,” he chuckles and gives her one more kiss on the lips before leaving, “I love you.”

“Love you too, future-husband,” Felicity sing-songs the last part before the door shuts, cutting off his laugh as he leaves.

 

* * *

 

Pulling into a parking space and shutting off his car, Oliver steps out and makes his way into the police station. He approaches the front desk, catching the attention of the young woman sitting there, “Can you tell me where to find Captain Lance?”

“He should be in his office,” she smiles and points, “Right around the corner.”

“Thanks,” he nods his head and makes his way in the direction she indicated, his shoulders tense. Seeing that he is indeed sitting at his desk, Oliver knocks on the glass window of the door, entering at the light ‘come in’ he hears.

Captain Lance raises his head and nods in acknowledgement, “Queen.”

“Captain.” After a few seconds with neither of them speaking, he raises his eyebrows in annoyance, “Felicity’s things?”

“Right.” Lance stands and shuffles over to the table in the corner of his office where Felicity’s teal handbag sits. He gathers it up before turning, handing the bag over to Oliver’s waiting hands. Upon receiving it, he opens the top flap, digging through it to see if anything is missing from what Felicity had told him would be in it when she called just before he arrived. “I’m pretty sure the only thing missing is however much cash she had in there.”

When he’s satisfied that nothing else is missing, he clasps it shut, “I think it’s all here. Thanks again.” Oliver makes his way towards the door before halting his steps, turning back towards Lance.

The older man glances up from where he’d been shuffling through some paperwork, “Need something else, Queen?”

“I want to talk to him.”

Lance lets out a chuckle, “That’s never gonna happen.”

Oliver holds back his irritated growl, “Why not? I won’t be alone; you can be in the room. At least let me see him.”

“If I remember correctly, you used to have a little bit of a temper. Fighting with your best friend at soccer games?” he huffs, “I can only imagine what you would do to the guy who put your girlfriend in the hospital.”

“Fiancée, actually,” he corrects through gritted teeth.

Lance manages to thinly conceal his surprise at the correction before sighing, nodding his head slightly and grumbling, “Follow me.” Oliver forces down his satisfied smirk as he follows the police captain out of his office and down the hallway towards the interrogation rooms, rooms that weren’t completely unfamiliar to him due to some troubles in his youth and just last month when Thea had been seated behind one of those doors. He had, however, never been in one of the viewing rooms, which Lance leads him into right now. “This is as close as you can get.”

Oliver huffs in annoyance but heads inside, stepping close to the one-way window. He takes in the man in front of him with his hands clasped together behind his back and a clenched jaw. The man in the interrogation room, Kyle Reston apparently, looks to be in his late-twenties with curly hair and a scraggly beard. The way he is just sitting there, arms crossed with a blank stare like he has no remorse for what he did, pisses the hell out of Oliver and he wants nothing more than to have five minutes alone with him. Oliver finally speaks, unable to remove his eyes from the criminal who hospitalized the kindest woman he’s ever met, “Does he know about Felicity? That she’s in the hospital? That her brain swelled up and she needed four stitches?” When he doesn’t receive a response, he turns his head to find Lance shifting uncomfortably.

“Yes,” he responds after some time.

“Captain Lance. Whatever it is, just tell me.”

Lance remains quiet for a few more seconds, seemingly deciding if he should tell Oliver what the man had said, before finally relenting, “Fine. He said that when he looked at her credit cards, when he realized who she was: her job, her connection to you and your money… He said that he wishes he’d done more to teach her a lesson. That a gold digger like her deserved to know what it was like to be with a real man that didn't buy people with his money.”

Oliver clenches his jaw so tight he hears it click and turns back towards Reston, his forefingers and thumbs rubbing together in an effort to stop himself from beating the hell out of him just for even  _thinking_  about doing such vile things to the woman he loves. “I want him to rot in jail.”

“He will,” Lance states as he moves to stand next to him. He looks at Reston with just as much anger, having grown quite fond of the young blonde over the years. “Due to his long list of priors and the fact that Miss Smoak ended up in the hospital, he’ll serve at least five years. Probably more if Laurel has any say in it.”

At the reminder that Laurel is an ADA, he breathes a small sigh of relief. He tears his eyes away from the despicable man in front of him, “I have to get going, pick up some clothes for Felicity for when she leaves the hospital.” Oliver makes his way around the older man and towards the door, only stopping at the call of his name.

Lance sighs, “Tell Miss Smoak that I hope she’s feeling better. And congratulations. Y’know, on the whole engagement thing or whatever."

Oliver smiles softly at the man’s attempt at saying something slightly nice to him, thinking that was about as good as he’ll ever get. “Thank you, Captain.” He turns around and maneuvers his way through the bullpen and out of the building, hopping in his car and heading towards Felicity’s townhouse.

 

* * *

 

Felicity looks down at her phone, typing out yet another text to Tommy reassuring him that she’s fine and that he and Laurel don’t need to leave work just to come see her. She just hits send when a familiar voice sounds through the room.

“Knock knock,” Thea pokes her head in with a smile before fully entering the room. “Y’know, if you wanted to be like me there were other ways to go about it than ending up in the hospital.”

She barks out a laugh as the young girl pulls her into a quick but tight hug, careful not to touch the bandage on her forehead. “Hello Thea. You look adorable, as per usual.”

“Why thank you. I’m headed to Laurel’s office for my community service.”

“Wait,” she crinkles her brow in confusion, “I thought you were working at the police station.”

Thea situates herself facing her friend with her back against the end of the bed, legs laid out beside Felicity’s. “I was, but that was super boring so I negotiated with Laurel cause that’s where all the good stuff is.” Felicity nods in understanding, lifting her hand to stick a strand of hair behind her ear causing Thea’s eyes to widen. She jumps up, flinging herself towards the older woman and yanking her left hand towards her. “Holy shit! What the hell is this?!”

Felicity flinches at the loudness of her voice before chuckling, “Oh this? It’s just a ring,” she shrugs.

“Yeah, a fucking engagement ring!” Thea exclaims before pulling her into a hug, “Oh my god! We’re gonna be sisters for real! This is the best day ever; I can’t believe you’re marrying my brother!”

“Did I just hear that correctly? Is my baby girl getting married?” Donna Smoak questions from where she stands in the doorway, oversized tote dangling from the crook of her elbow.

Both girls turn to face her, “Mom?” Felicity splutters. “What - what are you doing here?”

Donna shrugs her off like she’s asking a ridiculous question before strutting towards them, “Honey, did you really think my own daughter could be in the hospital and I wouldn’t know it?”

Her mouth opens and closes a few times before she narrows her eyes, “Who called you?”

“Sara,” Donna admits. She lifts a perfectly manicured finger in front of her daughter’s face, “But it should’ve been you, missy. Now, let me see that ring.” She grabs hold of Felicity’s left hand, tears welling in her eyes, and she pulls her in for a hug. “Oh sweetie. See, I just knew that you and Oliver would find your way back to each other.”

“Yes mother, you were right,” she agrees with a half-hearted roll of her eyes. “K mom, you’re crushing the girl in the hospital bed here.”

“Oh! I’m sorry baby,” she pulls away and finally acknowledges the other girl’s presences, “You’re Thea, right? Oliver’s little sister? Oh, the last time I saw you, you were this tall!” she lowers her hand to about four feet off the ground with a bright smile.

“Yeah, I am. And I was just about to tell Lissy here that I am totally planning her an engagement party.” Thea turns to Felicity with a smirk at the dreadful look on the blonde’s face.

Donna gasps in excitement, “Yes! That is such a great idea, we can plan it together – think of all the glitter! Oh, I am definitely staying in town now.”

Felicity glances between her mother and her soon-to-be sister, excitedly chatting away about venues and dress codes, before sinking back into her pillows with a huff.  _This definitely won’t end well._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	22. You Should Know You’re Not the Only One (Cause I Feel It With You Now)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **warning:** this chapter contains smut

_**December 2014** _

_Felicity applied another swipe of nude colored lipstick before tucking it into her bag and taking a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself for what she was about to do. She couldn’t believe she was doing this; she was completely crazy. After visiting her mother a couple months ago, she could not get Donna’s words out of her head --_ “You should go see him. You should find Oliver and just talk to him.” _It had taken a while to build up the courage, but when she read the online version of the Starling Journal that she still downloaded and saw that Oliver would be attending a huge business conference in San Francisco, she had immediately booked a plane ticket before she could even process what she was doing. Now, she was sitting in her car in front of the hotel that Oliver was currently staying at, dressed in her most beautiful, light red dress and trying to build up the nerve to go in. Taking one last deep breath, she opened the door and stepped out of the car, her heels clacking against the pavement as she made her way inside._

_Earlier, Felicity had been a total stalker and hacked into the hotel’s mainframe to find out what room Oliver was staying in, but when she reached the door and finally made herself knock, no one answered. Determined for this trip not to be a waste, she went downstairs in search of him; he had to be here somewhere. Felicity made her way through the hotel restaurant to the bar when she felt all the air sucked out of her lungs. Sitting not twenty feet away from her nursing what she was sure was a scotch, was the love of her life. And he looked amazing. Her heartbeat sped up in within her chest; this was it, this was her chance to make things right. A small smile tugged up the corners of her mouth at the thought of just being able to talk to him again, to tell him about her day like she used to._

_Felicity took a step towards him before she froze, the smile falling from her lips and tears immediately springing to her eyes. She watched as the woman sitting next to him turned her body towards him, long dark hair shining in the low lighting as her hand crept up his thigh. Not wanting to stick around any longer, Felicity twirled around and rushed out of the restaurant, weaving her way between people as quickly as possible. Her attempt to keep her tears at bay failed when she rounded a couple corners, leaning her back against the wall and sucking in quick breaths. This was such a mistake; she never should’ve come here._

_Lifting his glass, Oliver took a small sip of his scotch. Recently, he’d been doing more work at the company to try to build his way up to being ready to take over the CEO position when his mother suggested he take her place in attending a conference in San Francisco. Not one to want to disappoint his mother anymore, he agreed to accompany a few of the other department heads including the woman seated next to him, Isabel Rochev. She had been working at the company for years now, his father having hired her as the head of finances. She was beautiful, with dark hair and long legs, and it was clear to him that she was interested in more than just his newly acquired business skills._

_He sucked in a sharp breath through his nose when he felt a warm hand on his leg, turning his head to see Isabel shifting to lean in towards him._

_“You were great today, Oliver. You’ve been a really great addition to the team,” Isabel flirted, her hand slowly creeping further and further up his thigh._

_He cleared his throat, “Uh, thanks. I wanted to prove that I could actually do this, so I’ve been working really hard.”_

_“Oh, I have no doubt you have no problem being hard,” she smirked, “Working, that is.”_

_Stunned by her forwardness, Oliver opened his mouth to respond when he caught sight of a familiar head of blonde hair from across the bar. He blinked, not believing his eyes as he watched a woman fleeing the restaurant quickly._ No… It couldn’t be… _“Excuse me,” he directed towards Isabel before standing abruptly, her hand falling from his leg and an irritated expression coloring her features as he walked away. He pushed his way through the crowd, trying to keep up with the woman before he rounded a corner and suddenly she was gone, disappeared into thin air. He ran his hands through his hair thinking that this was it, he’d finally gone crazy and started imagining her. Taking a minute to accept that he had obviously been hallucinating, Oliver sighed and made his way towards the elevators to head back up to his room, deciding he was desperately in need of some sleep._

 

* * *

 

**April 2018**

Felicity raises her gloved hands higher in front of her face before shooting them forward, right then left then right in short jabs, making a thumping sound as her fists collide with the punching bag hanging in front of her. Sweat drips down her forehead and her head aches with her movements, but she just punches harder, faster. Sara watches her from across the gym, brows furrowing in concern, before she excuses herself from her conversation with an employee and makes her way over to the tiny blonde. “Felicity,” she calls her name with no answer so she tries again, louder this time.

She startles at the sound of her friend’s voice coming from behind her and pulls her hands towards her chest, sucking in a few deep breaths as she turns to face Sara. “Yeah?”

The other woman takes a few more steps towards her, arms crossed over her chest and brows still drawn together. “Don’t you think you should take it easy? You just got your stitches out a few days ago.”

Felicity turns back towards the bag, continuing with her workout. “Exactly. I was in the hospital because I didn't fight back. What’s the point of learning to box, to defend myself, when I don’t even fight back? I need to be stronger,” she punctuates the last word with a particularly hard punch that moves the bag back and forth.

She uncrosses her arms, her eyes softening at her best friend’s words. She walks the short distance around Felicity, grabbing the bag with both hands to stop it from swaying as she fixes the other woman with a look. “Lis, he had a gun. You made the right choice, he could have killed you.”

“I didn’t make a choice Sara!” she lets out a frustrated groan before explaining, barely concealed rage gleaming in her eyes but not at the man who attacked her: at herself. “I just… froze. I didn't do anything; I didn't even try. I _froze.”_

“Oh, Lis,” Sara breathes out, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug, not even caring that she's sweaty from working out. “Listen to me. It is not your fault. No matter if you did so consciously or not, I’m glad that you didn’t fight back. He already hurt you enough, imagine what he could’ve done to you. All you did was what you were supposed to do, which was to live to come home to your stupid boyfriend so he could become your stupid fiancé, and I can be your maid of honor when he becomes your stupid husband. Okay?”

The women pull away and Felicity huffs a laugh, “He is pretty stupid sometimes,” she mutters in agreement.

“There you are,” she smiles with a small chuckle before her face becomes serious again. “Now if you want to increase your training, I’ll help you. But it’ll be after I feel comfortable that you’re healthy enough. I would never stop you from learning to protect yourself, you know my motto.”

“No woman should ever suffer at the hands of men,” Felicity repeats the saying she’d heard the other blonde say dozens of times with a small grin.

“Exactly. And that low-life is not worth your suffering,” Sara assures, pushing some of her hair that had fallen from her ponytail back behind her ear.

Felicity smiles softly, “I love you.”

She smirks and shrugs lightly, “Well.”

Releasing a laugh, Felicity pushes Sara away with a half-hearted shove to her shoulder before she hears her phone ring from where it sits on the bench inside her bag. She holds out her hands for Sara to help pull her gloves off before moving over to the bench, pulling out her phone and reading the text message she just received. “It’s from Thea,” she announces at the other woman’s questioning glance. “She says there’s some sort of emergency with the plans for the engagement party,” Felicity looks up at her friend with an exhausted expression, “I didn't even know she’d started planning enough for there to  _be_  an emergency.”

“Well, you know Thea,” she laughs with a small little eye roll. “And your mother, come to think of it. Aren't they planning it together?”

“Yes which means if I don’t meet them at the Queen Mansion within the hour, Speedy might kill me.” Felicity puts her phone back into her bag and slings it over her shoulder. “I better go shower and change. Thanks for the pep talk. You really are the best maid of honor ever.” She starts to back away towards the locker room, raising a brow at her friend, “Though technically, I don’t remember asking you to  _be_  my maid of honor.”

Sara scoffs, “Please. Like you had to ask.”

Releasing a hearty laugh, Felicity turns on her heels and rounds the corner into the locker room, already dreading whatever ‘emergency’ could be bad enough to worry Thea Queen.

 

* * *

 

Felicity closes the car door with her hip, hands busy typing out a text letting Thea know she’s arrived at the mansion. She heads towards the front door, loose pieces of gravel crunching under the weight of her boots, and just lifts one foot onto the first step of the porch when she hears a low whistle sound from behind her. Lifting her head at the noise and turning around slightly, a large smile curls up the corners of her crimson painted lips at the sight before her.

Oliver stands about twenty feet from her, leaning back against his Ducati, muscles nearly bulging through the sleeves of his leather jacket where his arms are folded across his broad chest. He smirks, eyes floating over her body from head to toe. “Wow, am I envious of the man that gets to spend the rest of his life with you,” he compliments.

She tries to hold in a laugh as she turns to face him fully, stepping back down the one stair she’d climbed. “Is that so?” He nods his head, making no effort to close the distance between them when she starts slowly taking steps towards him. “Well, you shouldn’t be. You are much more attractive than him.”

He barks out a laugh, “Oh yeah? Don’t let him hear you say that.”

“So,” she tilts her head, smile still firmly plastered on her face, “I take it there’s no actual ‘engagement party emergency’?

“Nope,” he straightens his stance, uncrossing his arms and letting them fall to his sides, “Once again, Thea was working as my assistant. How would you feel about a drive down to stay at our beach house in Coast City for the weekend? Thea packed you a bag already.” He pats the seat of his motorcycle with his hand indicating where their bags are stowed in the hidden compartment.

Her eyes light up at the idea, “I think I’d feel pretty good about it.” Finally closing the distance between them, Felicity steps into his embrace and winds her arms around his neck, his arms immediately banding low around her waist and tugging her closer. She tilts her head up, brushing their noses together with a small smile before whispering, “But we should probably hurry up and leave before my big, strong fiancé sees us.”

Oliver releases a low laugh before lifting a hand to her jaw and connecting their lips in a slow kiss, allowing his tongue to delve into her mouth briefly and then pulling away, but not before leaning forward to place one last peck to her soft lips. He reaches back and lifts a helmet in each hand, offering the smaller of the two towards Felicity with a grin. The tiny blonde smiles back at him and grabs the helmet from his outstretched hand, her ring glinting in the early afternoon lighting as she places it snugly onto her head. He can’t help the way his grin widens at how cute she looks before he swings his right leg across the seat, situating himself and placing on his own helmet. He places his hands on the handles, kicking up the kickstand with his foot and turning the keys. Revving the engine, Oliver takes off down the driveway away from the Queen Mansion, loving the way Felicity’s arms feel wrapped tightly around his torso.

 

* * *

 

After about a three hour drive down the coast, Felicity and Oliver finally arrive at his family’s house in Coast City on its very own section of private beach. They immediately make their way inside to drop off their bags before she drags him outside and down to the beach so that they won’t miss the sunset. Oliver sits on the sand with Felicity in between his legs, leaning back against his chest, and he is immediately brought back to that night on the beach almost nine years ago when he was so scared about his feelings for her. And now here he is, arms wrapped around her, fingers playing with the engagement ring adorning her finger as he intertwines their hands.

“This is perfect,” her voice cuts through the comfortable silence surrounding them. She tilts her head back to glance at him, a small, appreciative smile tugging up the corners of her mouth, “Thank you. This is exactly what I needed.”

He lowers his head to connect their lips in a soft kiss, “It’s exactly what I needed too. Just some time alone with you, after everything that happened.” Felicity’s heart melts at his words and she lifts a hand to the back of his head, fingers curling into the short strands of hair at the nape of his neck as she kisses him again, smiling against his mouth. After a few minutes, he pulls away, breathing slightly shallow as he lifts a hand to her cheek, fingers tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s getting dark, we should head inside. I had dinner delivered earlier, it’s in the fridge.”

A smirk makes its way onto her face as she stands up, already missing the warmth of his embrace. “Race you,” she challenges before darting up the beach and back towards the house, the sounds of their laughs echoing as Oliver chases after her.

 

* * *

 

Drying off the last of the dishes from dinner, Oliver puts the plate into the cabinet before shutting the door and making his way into the master bedroom that Felicity had ventured into a couple minutes ago. He notices the bathroom door is closed so he starts changing, tugging off his sweater and trading in his jeans for a pair of sweatpants. His back is to the door when he hears it open so he turns towards the bathroom, his mouth falling open and his heart nearly stopping.

Felicity finishes changing, chuckling one more time at the note Thea left in her bag saying how difficult it was to pack this knowing it would be for her brother. Tightening the belt of her robe and fluffing her hair up one last time, she takes a deep breath and opens the bathroom door, turning off the light and stepping out. Oliver turns when he hears her and she tries not to laugh at the look on his face, because that would totally ruin the mood. She takes a step forward, the silky black material of her robe brushing along the tops of her thighs as she moves, her fingers playing with the belt around her waist. “Hi,” she bites her bottom lip.

“Hi,” he breathes out.

“So,” she teases with another step, “I was thinking. We never really had a chance to properly celebrate our engagement because, y’know, the whole hospital thing. But… I really want to celebrate.” Her fingers pull on the ends of the bow, tugging it loose, causing the sides of the robe to fall open and allowing her to easily slip the material from her shoulders. It pools on the ground around her feet leaving her in only a dark green, lace bra and matching panties. _“Properly,”_ she stops right in front of him, gazing up at him under long lashes, her bottom lip sucked between her teeth.

Oliver acts quickly, tangling the fingers of his right hand in her golden locks and breathing out an ‘I love you’ before pulling her into a searing kiss. She responds immediately, licking her tongue along the seam of his lips before delving into the warmth of his mouth. She moves her hands up his arms until she reaches his shoulders, allowing her to push him back until he is sitting on the bed. Climbing onto his lap, her thighs bracket his hips and her arms band around his neck, deepening the kiss even more. His hands slide down her back, pausing to unclasp her bra before continuing down to knead the soft flesh of her ass making Felicity moan into his mouth as she slides off her bra and throws it to the floor.

She grinds her hips into his, feeling him hard beneath the material of his sweatpants. Oliver disconnects his lips from hers and leans forward, sucking one of her nipples into his mouth. The heat and suction send her hips grinding down harder and he moans before moving to the other nipple and giving it the same treatment. Felicity sucks in a sharp breath and pulls away, an adorably confused pout making its way onto his face when she slides off him. “Take off your pants and lay down,” she orders.

Not needing to be told twice, he moves quickly, lifting his hips off the mattress just enough to slip his sweats down his legs, pausing only momentarily when he gets distracted by Felicity tucking her thumbs into the edge of her panties and stepping out of them. Once his ankles are free of his pants, he situates himself into the pillows, lying down in the middle of the bed and watching as she climbs onto the bed, completely naked. She swings her right leg over him, thighs once again bracketing either side of him and he smirks, hands immediately flying to her hips.

She smiles down at him before leaning down, connecting their lips once more as one of her hands slides down his chest and over his abs until she wraps it around his cock, squeezing lightly causing him to groan into her mouth. She pumps her wrist up and down a few times before lifting her hips and moving, positioning his tip at her soaking wet entrance. Oliver detaches their mouths, placing a palm to her cheek when their eyes meet. “I love you. So much, Felicity. I don’t… I don’t know what I would do if I lost you again,” he admits, voice merely a whisper in the silence surrounding them.

“Hey,” she tilts her head slightly, placing a soft kiss to his palm. “You’re not gonna lose me,” she promises before surging forward, melding their lips together at the same exact time she sinks down on him.

Oliver groans into her mouth at the feel of her wet heat surrounding him, and it has been way too long since they’ve done this. After a few seconds, she begins to move and he follows her lead, tightening his hold on her hips and lifting her up, bringing her back down with more force. Felicity moans into the crook between his neck and shoulder, nails digging into the ends of his hair and her nipples brushing against his chest in the most delicious way. Unconsciously, her legs tighten around his waist as he starts to pick up speed, his steady rhythm becoming faster and harder as he slams up into her. His breathing becomes shallow, and she begins to move her own hips when she feels the telltale heat starting to pool low in her belly.

One of his hands floats around to the front of body until his thumb finds her clit, circling around the swollen nub in hard, fast movements. A few deep thrusts later and the tingling inside her explodes with a scream, her walls clenching around him and the sounds of their moans filling the space around them as he comes inside her, slowing his movements.

Felicity collapses heavily on top of him, completely exhausted from their activities as she tries to even out her breathing. Eventually, she lifts her hips with a disappointed sigh and rolls next to him onto the bed, immediately curling into his side. Oliver wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her closer with a contented sigh as she buries her face into his shoulder. “I love you, Future Mrs. Queen,” he says with an easy smile, eyes already slipping closed.

“And I love you, Future Mr. Smoak,” Felicity mutters into his skin before drifting into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	23. And If the Sun Comes Up (Then I Still Don't Wanna Stagger Home)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

**_March 2014_ **

_The sun beat down on Felicity’s skin, the heat causing water to build up on the outside of her glass as she raised the straw to her lips to take a large drink of her strawberry daiquiri. This vacation had been the best thing that she had ever agreed to. Laurel was in her last year of college before she’d head off to law school so this was her last real spring break, and she’d wanted to spend it with her girls. Having opted to take a few years off after graduating from high school, Sara had the free time and the sisters had called Felicity about two weeks ago, all but begging her to get time from work. Which is how she’d found herself lounging on a plush chair poolside at a resort in Miami, courtesy of one Tommy Merlyn._ Laurel had that boy so whipped.

_“God, I love your boyfriend,” Sara sighed, her words slightly muffled as she was on her stomach, her swimsuit undone to avoid getting a tan line._

_“Try not to steal this one, too,” Laurel retorted, their complicated history with Oliver now nothing but joke material._

_A laugh bubbled past Sara’s lips as Felicity turned her head and opened her eyes, her friends appearing to be a pretty hue of blue due to her sunglasses. “Good thing Sara likes girls now.”_

_“Hey,” the other blonde objected, sitting up on her forearms, “I like them both. They’re all so pretty, how could I choose just one like you losers?” She reached her hands behind her back, deftly fastening the clasp of her black bikini top before flopping around to lay on her back. “However, I am a one-lady kind of girl.”_

_“Speaking of, how is Nyssa?” Laurel asked, taking a sip of her own daiquiri, banana flavored._

_Sara sat up, rummaging through her bag before pulling out her sunscreen with tanning oil. She squirted a dollop onto her hands before lathering up her lean legs. “Good, she’s almost done getting her license to be a personal trainer. She really wants to open up her own gym someday, which I think actually sounds pretty cool.”_

_“That does sound cool,” Felicity agreed before she shrugged, the alcohol they’d been steadily consuming making her brain feel clouded in the best way possible. “Nyssa is such a badass. So are you, Sara. You can both beat the shit out of people. And Laurel, you’re gonna be a badass lawyer, sending criminals up the river. I wish I was a badass.”_

_Laurel laughed, “‘Up the river’?”_

_“Shut up,” she swatted her arm half-heartedly, fighting the smile threatening to pull up her lips. “You get the point. You’re all so badass and I’m just me. A pathetic, slightly drunk IT girl with fake blonde hair.”_

_“Hold up,” Sara interjected with a raised hand, “First of all, I did not know that you dye your hair. Second, we are all slightly drunk. Third, you could hack the government in like, three seconds, which is probably one of the coolest things ever. So how does any of that make you pathetic?”_

_Laurel lifted her sunglasses off her face and onto her head, pushing her hair back, “Yeah, Felicity. You’re a total badass. Just because you can’t beat people up like Sara or have the desire to send criminals ‘up the river’ doesn’t mean you’re not a badass. You’re strong, and beautiful, and brilliant, so stop with all this ‘Aw, I’m so dumb and pathetic' nonsense.”_

_“Y’know what? You’re right.” Felicity sat up, pushing her own sunglasses up and back into her hair. “Let’s go out tonight. Let’s get dressed up and go to a club, and just have fun. Then we can scream ‘best spring break ever’ in unison on the dance floor!”_

_Both Lance sisters stood up, grabbing their things while laughing at their friend’s excitement. Sara put a hand on her shoulder, “Okay sweetie. You may be a badass, but you are still a nerd.” Felicity shrugged, grin still plastered on her face as Sara swung an arm around her shoulders and lead them back inside the hotel._

 

* * *

 

**May 2018**

Felicity walks into the police precinct on a mission, heels of her boots clacking against the tiled floor. She looks around as she approaches the front desk, smiling at the familiar secretary when she reaches it. She really needs to learn this woman’s name. “Hi, is Captain Lance available?” she asks.

The woman holds up her index finger, signaling for Felicity to wait, before she reaches over to the phone on her desk. She lifts it to her ear and raises her eyes to Felicity, “And who should I say is here?”

“Felicity Smoak,” the blonde supplies easily.

“Captain, I have a Miss Smoak here to see you,” she says, nodding her head at his response before hanging up the phone and going back to typing on her computer. “You can go on back.”

Felicity mutters a thanks before securing her bag over her shoulder and heading back through the bullpen as discretely as possible. Seeing Lance sitting at his desk, she knocks lightly on the door, opening it at the sound of his voice. A smile finds its way onto her face as the older man stands, “Hello Captain.”

“Miss Smoak,” he nods, leaning back against his desk, “What can I do for you?”

“Well,” she moves to open her bag, shuffling through it before finding the piece of paper she is looking for and raising her fist in the air triumphantly, muttering a ‘yes!’ to herself. “Thea just sent these out, but I wanted to deliver yours personally so I could thank you for all you did for me. Y’know, catching the man who attacked me. So… here.” Felicity takes a few steps forward, extending her arm until he takes the paper from her hand. “It’s an invitation to my engagement party next Saturday. Well, mine and Oliver’s,” she clarifies as he studies it.

Captain Lance lifts his head, his gaze soft as he takes her in, “You and Queen really want me there?”

A small smile tugs up the corners of her lips at the surprise in his tone, “Of course we do. Sara and Laurel have become like sisters to me and… I don’t really remember my father and after Mr. Queen passed away, you’re probably the closest thing to it. Other than my stepdad, but he lives in Atlanta with my mother so I don’t see him that often,” Felicity takes a deep breath, cutting off her own ramble. “We would love for you to come.”

Truly touched by her words, Lance moves forward to pull her into a tight hug. She hugs back, closing her eyes and savoring the moment considering how the older man rarely ever allows himself to be vulnerable. After a few seconds, he pulls away, clearing the built-up emotion from his throat. “Do I have to bring a present to this thing?”

“No,” she laughs. “You can save that for the actual wedding.”

Their conversation is cut short at the sound of the door opening and a voice fluttering through. “Captain, I’m about to file that warrant on Kendall and was wondering if you wanted me to include any electronics in --” McKenna’s sentence trails off when she glances up from the files in her hands, her mouth falling open slightly at seeing Felicity. “Oh. I’m sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.”

Felicity shakes her head, “It’s okay, I was just leaving.” She turns back to Captain Lance, “I will see you next Saturday.” Turning on her heels, she gives the other woman a slight nod before passing her through the doorway and making her way out of the bullpen. She halts her stride at the sound of her name, spinning on her heels.

“Felicity,” McKenna takes a few steps forward, nervously playing with a corner of the folder in her hands. Her eyes fall briefly to the ring on the blonde’s finger before raising back up to her face. “How are you doing? After what happened the other month.”

Confusion colors her features before she realizes what McKenna is talking about, “Oh, right! Yeah, I’m good. My head’s all healed, better than ever.” She can’t help but cringe at the weird cheeriness in her voice before she becomes confused again, furrowing her brows. “Wait, how did you know about that?”

“I read about it,” she explains. “And I was here when Lance got the case. I was actually the arresting officer.”

Felicity’s eyebrows raise up at that little fact, “Oh. I didn’t know that.”

She smiles slightly, “Yeah. And if Restin tripped and broke his nose on the way to central booking, that was merely a coincidence.”

Her eyebrows shoot up even further at the implications, her mouth falling open before pulling into a smile. “Well, karma  _is_ a real bitch.”

A small laugh bubbles past the brunette’s lips before her smile becomes softer. She nods her head towards where Felicity’s left hand hangs at her side, “Congratulations. Believe it or not, I’m actually happy for you two.”

She raises her hand slightly, examining her ring finger before letting her arm fall back down to her side, “Thank you. That means a lot.”

McKenna breaks their eye contact, looking back over her shoulder towards Lance’s office and waving the folder in her hand. “Well, I should probably get this warrant signed and filed.”

“Right, of course,” she nods. “Bye, McKenna.”

She smiles lightly, “Bye, Felicity.”

Felicity watches the other woman’s retreating form before turning on her heels and making her way out of the building with a wide grin on her face.

 

* * *

 

Stepping out of the executive elevator, Oliver brings his Starbucks coffee cup he got from the little kiosk in the lobby to his lips and takes a large gulp, thumbing through the dozens of new emails on his phone. He glances up as he approaches the waiting area of his floor, about to ask Gretchen to make reservations at that new restaurant Felicity’s been dying to try ever since they got back from their little getaway that had turned into a week-long ‘pre-honeymoon’, as his lovely fiancé had dubbed it, when he slows his steps. Ray Palmer looks up from where he is sitting, rising to his feet and plastering on his signature grin. Oliver checks the time on his watch, his brows furrowing. “Did we have a meeting scheduled for today?”

“No, we didn't, but I was close by at a business lunch and was hoping you were free to discuss some new details about our combined project,” Ray explains.

He manages to suppress his eye roll before looking towards Gretchen, “Hold all my phone calls.”

“Yes, sir,” Gretchen responds. She, however, does not suppress the stink eye she gives Palmer, and that is exactly why Oliver likes her so much.

He outstretches the arm still holding his coffee, motioning Ray into his office. He begins to follow before turning back towards Gretchen, not even bothering to lower his voice. “And please get a reservation for two tonight at Porter’s. Make sure they have a bottle of their best Lafite Rothschild ready.”

“Yes, sir,” Gretchen grins before winking and reaching for the phone.

Smirking to himself, Oliver continues into his office where Ray stands waiting, shoulders slightly tense having obviously heard his request, before shutting the door behind him. He moves around his desk, setting down both his coffee and his phone. He lifts his chin with a calm expression, unbuttoning his suit jacket and settling in his chair. “Please,” he lifts an arm to motion towards one of the chairs opposite his desk, “Have a seat.”

Palmer obliges, sitting down and clearing his throat. “I read about what happened to Miss Smoak. Is she alright? Did they catch the guy?” he attempts to ask casually.

Oliver narrows his eyes at his use of her last name; clearly he is still pretending like he doesn't even know her. “She's great, actually. The man’s in jail, where he belongs.”

“Glad to hear it,” he supplies, trying to hide his relief and failing miserably.

Now he can't hold back his eye roll, “You can cut the crap, Ray. Felicity told me about your… history.” He silently applauds himself for managing to say the last word with only mild disgust.

He is thrown off by the other man’s bluntness before he quickly composes himself, “Good. I just hope that things won't be awkward between us, business wise.”

A small laugh bubbles past his lips, “Why would things be awkward?”

Palmer simply raises a brow in return, “Because Felicity and I were… We dated for quite some time. We were very open with each other, shared secrets. We had a very… _intimate_ connection.”

Oliver grinds his teeth at his blatant attempt to try to get a rise out of him. Though, Felicity did mention that their relationship ended because of her feelings for Oliver.  _Maybe Palmer’s delicate ego is still slightly bruised._ “Not from what I've heard,” he shrugs, his voice casual and not at all affected by the other man’s words. He can see Ray’s jaw tense and he allows himself to feel a little bit of satisfaction before sitting up straighter in his chair. “Look, Palmer, our companies merging for this project is a great opportunity, one that I don't want to give up just because you happen to have dated Felicity. The fact of the matter is, everyone has a past. Felicity and I were broken up at the time, and we both had relationships with other people. What matters now is that Felicity and I are back together and engaged, so I think we can be adults about this situation and put it past us. Wouldn't you agree?”

Ray stays silent, absorbing his mini speech before he finally comes back to himself. “You’re getting married?”

He's slightly taken aback by the other man’s surprise, figuring he'd have read about it somewhere. “Yes, we are. Our engagement party is on Saturday.”

Nodding his head, Ray clears his throat, “Congratulations. I'll stay out of your way; strictly professional from now on.”

“Alright then,” Oliver nods before pulling out a file from underneath one of the numerous stacks of paper covering his desk, “Let's talk about that project.”

 

* * *

 

Lifting the glass to her lips, Felicity took a large sip of her champagne, the bubbly liquid flowing smoothly down her throat and easing her nerves. Though she isn’t nervous per-say, she’s more overwhelmed. The fact that she’s actually marrying the love of her the life, the man she’s loved since she was a child, in just two and a half months’ time is surreal. Standing in the middle of the ballroom in the Queen Mansion at her engagement party just makes it that much more overwhelming. Especially with it having been planned by Thea and her mother, the latter of which who has been chatting Moira’s ear off the entire night. _Poor Moira._ Felicity’s eyes search the room for her fiancé but she comes up empty; he probably got pulled away somewhere by Tommy to talk bachelor party details, and who knows what else they talk about. She takes another sip of her champagne before the sound of a groan makes her turn slightly.

“Describe to me in extreme detail what that champagne tastes like so I can pretend that I’m the one drinking it,” Laurel begs, one hand resting on her emerging belly.

A laugh escapes past her lips, eyeing her friend with pity. “Hmmm. It’s kind of sweet. And bubbly. And that’s all I got cause this is like, my fifth glass, so I’m a little buzzed.”

“You suck,” Laurel chuckles. She glances down at her stomach before groaning once again, “I’m going to be one of those women who gets really fat during pregnancy, aren’t I? I’m only fifteen weeks and I look like I swallowed a watermelon.”

Felicity tilts her head in thought, eyes inspecting Laurel’s round belly, “No, I wouldn’t say it’s the size of a watermelon. Cantaloupe, maybe. But not watermelon.”

She huffs, gently smacking the blonde on her arm, “You’re the worst.”

The girls’ laughs are cut off by the appearance of a frantic-looking Thea, a black headset on her head and a clipboard in her hand. She lifts her free hand to her ear and pushes a button, appearing to be ending a phone call. “So, that was Caitlin. I thought she was just running late, but it turns out she had to do an emergency surgery on some stupid sick kid and just got out. She’s not coming. This is a disaster!”

Thrown off by the mention of her friend’s name, Felicity furrows her brows at the young girl. “Wait, what? Caitlin is coming?”

“Well, she  _was,_ _”_ Thea shrugs her shoulders lightly, “It was supposed to be a surprise. She was supposed to stay for two days to try on dresses tomorrow because she can’t come back until right before the wedding, which will be too late for fittings, so I’ll have to do everything using guesswork and the dress might not fit at the final fitting and then everything will be ruined!”

Laurel and Felicity glance at each other with wide eyed, worried looks before Felicity turns back to Thea, setting down her champagne flute on a passing tray before grabbing both of her arms and shaking her lightly. “Thea, calm down. Take a few deep breaths, like this.” She demonstrates deep breathing for a few seconds until Thea visibly relaxes. “Everything will be fine, okay? Thank you so much for trying to get Caitlin here, I love you for it. The wedding isn’t for more than two months, so why don’t you just worry about one thing at a time, okay?”

The younger Queen takes one more deep breath, closing her eyes before opening them again. “Okay,” her voice is completely calm and collected, and nobody would ever know she had just had a mental breakdown. “You’re right, you’re totally right. I’m going to go yell at the catering staff because the next course of appetizers was supposed to come out,” she pauses, checking the time on the small stopwatch attached to her clipboard, “Two minutes and twenty-three seconds ago! Unbelievable!” She huffs before running off towards the kitchen.

Felicity sucks in a sharp breath before turning back towards Laurel, who is trying hard to contain her giggles, “Isn’t the bride supposed to be the one freaking out?”

Laughter finally bubbles past Laurel’s lips, a hand moving to clutch the ache in her side from laughing so hard. “She is going to be psychotic on the actual day, you know that, right?”

She sighs, grabbing a full champagne glass from a passing-by waiter, “Lord help us all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	24. I Better Learn to Start Again (They Told Me Everything Works Out in the End)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

**_September 2016_ **

_Oliver glanced up from the paperwork he was reading over at the sound of his office door opening and the clacking of heels against the tile floor. His eyes landed on his mother, a warm smile on her face and pride shining in her eyes as she approached him. Just last month, he had officially taken over as CEO of Queen Consolidated. It had been a bit overwhelming at first, but he liked to think that he was getting the hang of things, even though other people -- especially the board members -- disagreed. The press still ran stories about how long they predicted the company would stay afloat under his leadership, and he could tell during meetings that some of the older board members didn't take him seriously; he was still just a kid in their eyes. Although after today, Oliver hoped that he would finally be able to prove himself; he had managed to get a meeting for later today with none other than Bruce Wayne, of Wayne Enterprises. If all went well with the business proposal he had spent days working on nonstop, Wayne Enterprises and Queen Consolidated would have a new project contract._

_Pushing his chair away from his desk, Oliver stood up and made his way around the desk, embracing his mother in a warm hug with a smile on his face. “Hi, Mom.”_

_“Oh sweetheart,” Moira hugged him back tightly, rubbing a hand up and down the top of his back before pulling away and cupping his cheeks with both hands. “You look so much like your father, sitting behind that desk.”_

_A warm feeling flooded through his chest at the compliment before he cleared his throat, trying to maintain a professional facade at work. “What are you doing here?”_

_“Well,” Moira moved to set down her bag on the top of the desk, “I just wanted to wish you luck before you head off to your big meeting. A deal with Wayne Enterprises would mean so much for not only the company, but for you. Making this deal within your first few months as CEO will be very promising to our board members and investors.”_

_Oliver sucked in a sharp breath, nodding his head slightly, “I know.”_

_Her brows furrowed in concern at her son’s downcast eyes before she took a step towards him, “Sweetheart, are you alright?”_

_He looked up at her with a shrug of his shoulder, “Yeah. I’m just…,” his voice drifted off._

_A small smiled tugged up the corners of Moira’s mouth, “Oliver.”_

_Realizing that growing up hadn’t changed the fact that he was a terrible liar, especially to his mother, Oliver sighed. “I’m just a little nervous,” he admitted._

_She took another step toward him, lifting a palm to his cheek. “Honey, you will do great. Your father believed in you when he decided to leave you his company, and he would be so unbelievably proud of you today. My beautiful boy,” she smiled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears._

_Oliver returned her smile, feeling confident in himself. When he left later that afternoon and arrived at Wayne Enterprise, his mother’s words stayed in his mind. And she was only proved right as Bruce Wayne shook his hand, freshly signed contracts laying on the table next to them._

 

* * *

 

**June 2018**

Felicity and the rest of the girls follow Thea out of their town car and towards the bridal boutique. Thea stops at the locked doors, clicking the button on the intercom system, notifying the manager that ‘Queen, party of five’ is here, before they are buzzed into the building. Felicity’s eyes widen as she looks around, immediately overwhelmed by the hundreds of dresses, when a well-dressed, very tiny woman with red hair approaches the group. “Hi there,” she smiles widely at them, her voice tinged with a heavy, sweet southern accent, “I’m Melissa, I’ll be assisting you today. You must be Miss Queen.” Thea accepts her extended hand with a smile of her own.

“Call me Thea. We were extremely happy that we could get this appointment, I know the waiting list is at least six months.”

Melissa waves her off, “Of course! Anything for the Queen family. Now,” she turns to address the rest of the girls, “Who is the bride?”

Raising her hand in a small wave, Felicity takes a step forward, “That would be me. Felicity Smoak.”

“Oh, well aren’t you just the cutest little peach!”

Sara holds back a snort from behind her as Felicity just smiles, trying not to look as awkward as she feels in this huge store. “Oh, uh… Thank you?”

Melissa laughs her off, moving towards her and grabbing her by the hand. “Well, let’s get started! We’ll find you the perfect dress to just knock the socks right off Mr. Queen! Ladies, why don’t you take a seat on the chairs over there and help yourself to our complimentary strawberries and champagne. Feel free to look around and pick out some dresses!”

The girls try to hold in their snickers at the wide-eyed look of panic on Felicity’s face as the older woman drags her off towards the dressing room near the catwalk in front of the sitting area. Thea leads the way towards the crisp, white chairs, going straight for the champagne chilling in an ice bucket. Just as she’s about to pop the cork, Laurel swipes the bottle out of the young girl’s hands. “Hey!” Thea objects with a pout.

“Nuh uh, missy. Not only are you underage, you are still on probation,” she admonishes.

“You’re no fun. Being pregnant has changed you,” Thea complains with a huff, plopping down in the nearest arm chair.

Laurel’s mouth falls open, “I am  _too_ fun! I’m going to be the fun parent, just wait.”

A loud laugh bubbles past Sara’s lips as she grabs the champagne from her sister’s hands and pops the cork, pouring herself and Nyssa each a glass. “Sorry sis, but you wouldn't be the fun parent even if you  _weren’t_ competing against Tommy. He is like, the definition of fun.”

“That is true,” Nyssa says thoughtfully while taking a sip of her champagne, “However, Laurel does have her moments.”

“Thank you, Nyssa.” She glares at Sara, “You are no longer my sister.” The blonde just laughs, taking a large gulp of her drink. Laurel moves to a chair, hand on her lower back as she eases her way down with a groan. “Pregnancy is great and all, but I really wish it didn’t come with the back aches. And the swollen feet and hands; I can’t even wear my rings,” she pouts, lifting her left hand and examining her naked ring finger.

Thea suddenly gasps, shooting up to her feet. “Oh my god, Laurel, get back up!” She rushes across the room, hands flying out towards a short, teal satin dress. “Oh my god, this is the perfect bridesmaids dress! We are all trying this on right now. Melissa!”

Melissa enters back into the main room, perfectly calm even though Thea was just screeching her name, “Yes?”

“We need three more of this dress to try on, one that can stretch because Laurel’s only going to get fatter by the wedding,” she demands, eyes still glued to the dress as she runs her hands over the smooth fabric.

“Hey! Thea!” Laurel objects with a hand on her stomach, Sara laughing and Melissa moving to the back room in search of the dresses.

 

* * *

 

After trying on dozens of dresses that she didn’t love, Felicity starts to lose hope that she’ll ever find a dress, adding to the stress that she’s already been feeling. Stepping out of yet another failure of a gown, Melissa leaving the room in search of more, Felicity sits down on the small chair in the corner of the room in just her underwear, releasing a defeated sigh. Her eyes start to water as she stares at the dress pooled on the floor in front of her before she sucks in a sharp breath through her nose and reaches towards her discarded jeans. She pulls her phone from the back pocket, unlocking it and clicking on the familiar contact picture. Lifting the phone to her ear, she listens to it ring as she bites on her thumbnail. Finally, it stops ringing, his voice reaching her ear and immediately calming her down.

 _“Hey,”_ he greets, and she can clearly hear the smile in his voice,  _“How’s dress shopping going?”_

Her brief calmness flutters away, tears springing back to her eyes. “Actually, not so good. I just needed to hear your voice.”

 _“Felicity,”_ his voice is laced with concern because he can hear how upset she is, the tears in her voice.  _“What’s going on?”_

At the worry and love clear in his voice, Felicity breaks down. She leans forward, hand on her forehead and elbow digging into her leg, tears streaming down her cheeks. He doesn’t say anything and just lets her cry, the only sign to Felicity that he is still there being the quiet sounds of his breathing. When she finally calms down, she wipes the tears from her face with the back of her hand and takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry for calling you and freaking out.”

 _“You don’t need to be sorry. I’m glad you called,”_ Oliver reassures her.  _“Tell me what’s wrong.”_

“It’s just, all of this wedding stuff is so overwhelming. I know that Thea is handling a lot of it but it has just snowballed into something way bigger than I ever wanted and we’ve been here for almost three hours and I’m never gonna find a dress,” she babbles in one breath, eyes beginning to tear up again.

 _“Okay, Felicity, I need you to take a deep breath for me. Can you do that?”_ She nods her head even though he can’t see her, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply. _“Good, good. Now listen to me, everything is going to be fine. You’ll find a dress and when you do, it’ll be perfect because you are perfect. Honestly, you could come to our wedding dressed in a garbage bag and you would still take my breath away.”_

Felicity laughs, shifting back in her seat and leaning her head back against the wall, her eyes closed. “Thank you.”

_“If the wedding is getting too big, just talk to Thea. I would be happy going to the courthouse tomorrow as long as it means that I finally get to call you my wife, okay? This is supposed to be your day, so it should be what you want. Thea will understand.”_

She smiles, immediately feeling at peace; he’s always known exactly what to say to calm her down. “You’re amazing.”

Oliver chuckles,  _“You’re the one that’s amazing. Everything will work itself out; after all these years, I think the universe owes us that. We’re meant to be together, Felicity, and we will be.”_

“I love you,” she sighs wistfully.

_“I love you, too.”_

Felicity tilts her head at the sound of the door opening, Melissa entering the room with a new gown in hand. “Oliver, I have to go. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

_“See you tonight.”_

She hangs up the phone, setting it down on the chair after she stands and looks to Melissa. “Sorry, that was my fiancé.”

“Oh, don't worry. It’s a usual occurrence for the bride to call her man to calm her down from her panic attack,” Melissa laughs, hanging the dress on the rack. “Now, I know you’re losing hope, but I think this might be a winner. Your friend Sara picked it out.”

Felicity turns, eyes taking in the dress and a smile immediately pulls at her mouth. Once the dress is securely on, she gathers up the bottom and finally makes it out of the dressing room and towards the catwalk. The girls are in the sitting area, talking amongst themselves before Thea notices the blonde approaching them, her jaw immediately dropping. They all turn towards her, their faces mimicking the younger girl’s before a wide grin finds itself onto Sara’s face, proud of her choice in dress. Felicity reaches the end of the catwalk and turns around to face the floor-to-ceiling mirror. Tears blur her vision as she takes in her appearance, a watery smile on her face. “This is the one.”

 

* * *

 

Oliver walks into the mansion, searching for his younger sister. Yesterday had been the incident at the boutique when Felicity had called him in hysterics, and he hadn’t seen his sister. He wanted to make sure she was okay after talking with Felicity about the wedding, knowing how excited she is about the event. Turning the corner into the main parlor, his eyes land on Thea standing in front of a table full of paper, analyzing the different fonts and colors.

She turns at the sound of his footsteps. “Ollie! Perfect timing -- which invitation do you like better? I’m stuck between number eight and number twenty-three,” she asks, glancing back at the invitations thoughtfully.

He steps up behind her, looking over her shoulder and squinting at the two papers in question. “I don’t see a difference.”

“You’re no help,” Thea rolls her eyes. She reaches forward and picks up invitation number eight. “Gabrielle,” she calls out to a woman working on a laptop in the corner that he hadn’t even noticed before. “Order three hundred of these invitations to be delivered as soon as possible. Make sure to double check the spelling.”

Oliver starts at the extremely large number she requested, staring at Thea as she moves to write something down on her clipboard. “Wait, why do you need that many invitations?”

She rolls her eyes without looking up at him, “To send to the guests. Obviously.”

“Didn't Felicity talk to you?”

Thea lifts her chin at that, her brows furrowing in confusion, “No. Talk to me about what?”

He realizes his mistake and stares blankly at her. He thought Felicity had talked to her about this already. Finally, he clears his throat, “Um, she called me yesterday crying. She’s really overwhelmed with the wedding and how big of an event it’s become. We were thinking of maybe scaling it down a bit.”

“Oh,” Thea breathes out. “She… She doesn’t want me to plan it anymore?”

“What? No, of course she does,” he moves towards her. “She loves everything that you’ve done, Speedy. She just would prefer it to be on a… smaller scale.”

“Right,” she nods her head softly before looking down. “I can do that.”

Oliver places a hand on her forearm, “Are you okay?”

Thea shrugs it off, “Yeah, I’m good! I just…,” she stops talking, staring at her clipboard.

“Speedy, you can talk to me. Always,” he reassures her.

“I liked the distraction,” she admits. “I never… We never talk about what happened. With y’know, the whole drug thing.”

Oliver sucks in a sharp breath through his nose, not expecting for her to bring up what happened four months ago. Yeah, she is still working with Laurel, but she finished the mandatory classes weeks ago. “Are you… Are you doing okay?”

“I never apologized to you. For the way I acted, the things I said. You were just trying to look out for me, like you always do,” she finally raises her look from her feet. “I miss dad. He would hate me,” she forces out before the tears start falling, her throat clogging making it harder to breathe.

His heart breaks at her words and the sight of her crying, and he reaches out, pulling her to his chest and wrapping his arms around her. He lifts a hand, stroking over her hair and quietly soothing her, letting her cry just like he had over the phone with Felicity.

After a few minutes, she begins to calm down and pulls away, lifting her hands to wipe at her face. “Sorry I got snot all over you,” she grimaces at the wetness on his shirt from her tears.

“Thea,” he huffs. “You don’t ever have to apologize. And please don’t think that. Dad loved you so much. And he would be so proud of the strong, brave, independent young woman you're becoming. Y’know how I know that?” he lightly nudges her shoulder, an eyebrow raised.

She raises a shoulder in a slight shrug, shaking her head lightly.

Oliver raises a hand, tucking a piece of fallen hair behind her ear, “Because I am, too.” Thea smiles at that, stepping forward when he pulls her back into his arms and places a kiss to the top of her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	25. And I’m Losing My Breath (I Wanna Be Human Again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

**_December 2016_ **

_Zipping his leather jacket further up to block himself from the slight wind, Oliver reached his hand forward, pulling open the door to the coffee shop and stepping inside. Breathing in the rich smell of coffee, he made his way towards the counter to stand in the rapidly forming line, pulling out his phone and shooting a text to Tommy saying he might be running late for their plans to meet up. He felt someone brush up against his arm and glanced up, seeing a woman with dark hair stepping in front of him in the gap that had formed while he was looking at his phone. Oliver took her in with a slight smile at the fact that she was seemingly oblivious to the fact that she just cut in front of him._

_Noticing him staring, she turned her head and narrowed her eyes at him. “Can I help you?” she asked, a bit of sass to her tone causing him to chuckle before quickly masking it at the look on her face._

_“Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare,” he apologized, a smile finding its way back onto his face. “It’s just that, I was in line.”_

_The woman’s mouth fell open slightly as a blush covered her cheeks in embarrassment. “Oh. Wow, I totally just skipped you. Sorry.” She began to move past him before he reached out an arm to stop her._

_“It’s alright. Why don’t we just stand in line together --” he paused, realizing he didn’t know her name._

_The woman smiled at him, reaching out her hand. “McKenna Hall.”_

_“Oliver Queen,” he grinned, placing his hand in hers and shaking it lightly._

_“It’s nice to meet you, Oliver.”_

_“You too, McKenna.” He released her hand as the line moved forward, noticing that they were next in line. He placed his order after she did and reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet. McKenna was rummaging through her purse and he nodded at her, “Don’t worry about it, it’s on me.” She didn’t object as he paid, instead moving towards the other side of the counter to wait for her order._

_She smiled at him when he followed her, putting his wallet back into his jeans. “Y’know, just because I’m not a billionaire doesn't mean I can’t pay for my own coffee.”_

_Oliver huffed a laugh, ducking his head slightly. “So you know who I am.”_

_“Well, you are kind of famous lately. The young CEO that is surprising everybody with his business skills,” she explained, trying to hide a smirk._

_He grinned at her, “Are you mocking me?”_

_“Just a little,” McKenna laughed before grabbing her coffee and thanking the barista. She turned back to him, a nervous smile on her face, “Would you like to find a table with me? Unless you have other plans…”_

_Oliver opened his mouth about to tell her ‘no’ because of his plans with Tommy before he changed his mind and matched her smile, “Yeah, I’d like that.”_

 

* * *

 

**July 2018**

Unlocking the door to the loft, Oliver twists the handle and makes his way inside, sighing as the day’s tiring events wash over him. It had been like a never-ending stream of meetings with investors and the board, who have been bugging him about some new project that they think the company should get involved with. Kicking off his shoes by the door, he sets down his briefcase and moves further into the loft. He looks around and can’t help but smile at the small touches of Felicity and the life they’re building together; he can’t wait to be married in just one week. A small thumping sound echoes through the open space and he turns towards it, walking towards the bedroom to see the bathroom door closed. He reaches out for the handle, just about to turn it, when the door flies open to reveal Felicity standing there in shorts and one of his zip-up hoodies, eyes wide.

“Jeez, Oliver. You scared the crap out of me,” she breathes out, a hand brought up to her chest and the other gripping the door tightly.

He laughs at her, “Sorry. You okay? I heard a noise.”

“What? Oh, um, the drawer just closed harder than expected,” she flicks off the light switch and moves around him into the bedroom, “How was work? You look tired.”

Sighing, he shrugs off his suit jacket, hanging it in the closet before heading towards the bed where Felicity is settled on the left side, rubbing moisturizing lotion into her hands. He sits down on the edge, his back to her as he unbuttons his sleeves. “Long. The board is really getting on my nerves lately.”

“I’m sorry,” she pouts, jutting out her bottom lip. She stows her lotion back into the drawer of the nightstand, standing on her knees and wrapping her arms around Oliver’s chest. “Anything I can do to help?” Felicity asks through a smile into his neck, her lips peppering kisses along his jaw.

He smirks, continuing to roll up the sleeves of his dress shirt. “Depends on what you had in mind.”

Her lips continue their path along his skin, fingers deftly moving to the buttons of his shirt. “Maybe just a little practice for our honeymoon.”

Grabbing her hands in his, Oliver twists around and winds his arms low around her waist, her own curling up his chest and around his neck. “I can’t believe we’re going to be married in a week,” he says, a large grin pulling up the corners of his lips.

“I know,” she returns a smile, her dimples showing. “I can’t believe… I never thought that this could actually happen after everything I did, how I hurt you.”

“Felicity,” he continues to rub circles into the skin of her back under her sweatshirt with his thumbs. “I love you so much. I never stopped. Us getting married? It’s inevitable.”

Butterflies erupt in Felicity’s stomach, his words having an effect on her even after all this time knowing each other. She's suddenly brought back to when she was seventeen years old, crazy in love and terrified of getting her heart broken. “You've said that before; that we're inevitable.”

He furrows his brows slightly, “That's because we are.”

“How are you so sure?” she questions, her voice soft as she lowers her eyes to where her fingers play with the open collar of his shirt.

Oliver lifts a hand to her chin, tilting her head up until their eyes meet. “Because I have loved you for my entire life, Felicity. Nothing has ever and nothing will ever change that. And I cannot  _wait_ to be able to call you my wife.”

Leaning forward to capture his lips in a kiss, Felicity smiles against his mouth, a laugh escaping her as he wraps his arms tightly around her and rolls her onto her back.

 

* * *

 

The soft sound of music reaches Felicity's ears as she walks into the back room of the restaurant that Thea had rented out for her bachelorette party. She'd done the whole clubbing thing in the past and decided that she wanted something more intimate, just with her close friends. Luckily, among those close friends are Iris and Caitlin, who flew in last night just in time for the party. Back at the loft, Oliver is spending a night in watching the game and drinking beers with Tommy and Barry, who'd flown in with his girlfriend. Unfortunately, Ronnie had a work emergency and wasn't able to make it, but Caitlin has assured Felicity that he will be here in time for the wedding tomorrow.

“The bride is here!” Sara’s voice pulls Felicity out of her reverie and she smiles at her friends, not at all surprised that she is the last to arrive to her own party.

“I'm so glad you guys could make it,” she addresses Iris and Caitlin, pulling each of them into a long hug. She's missed her high school best friend so much in the last couple years, their jobs and busy lives making it difficult to talk on the phone, let alone see each other in person. Felicity pulls away from Caitlin with a smile, “How's Nathan? I've missed my nephew.”

Caitlin’s eyes light up at the mention of her son, “Nate is amazing, he turns two in a few weeks. Right now, he's staying with my parents.”

“I miss the little fella,” Felicity pouts as she takes a seat on the edge of the booth beside Laurel, whose hand cradles her stomach, rubbing across it in slow motions.

A knock sounds before the door opens, the waiter stepping into the room. “Welcome, ladies. Can I start you off with some drinks? We have an excellent Bordeaux just in.”

Before anyone can respond, Felicity quickly cuts in. “Actually,” she turns to her friends, “I was thinking that since Thea is underage and there's a baby on board, maybe we all just shouldn't drink tonight.”

“I second that,” Laurel raises a hand, shrugging at the dirty look she receives from her little sister. “I hate watching other people drink when I can't!”

Nyssa releases a laugh at her sister-in-law, “I'll have an iced tea, please.”

The rest of the women order their nonalcoholic drinks before sending the waiter away. Felicity laughs at a story Iris tells about a sweet homeless man she interviewed for a piece that hit on her, happy to be surrounded by her best friends but craving the presence of someone else she loves.

 

* * *

 

Oliver brings the beer bottle to his lips, smiling as he takes a sip due to his best friend’s outraged yells. The Starling City Rockets just ended the fifth inning down by four runs against their biggest rivals from Central City, Barry being happy that his own hometown is winning. A night in like this with his friends is exactly what Oliver needed for his bachelor party, clubs being an all-too frequented location in his youth. Especially when the only girl he can think of is the one that he will be marrying tomorrow; the same girl who he hasn’t seen since she left to stay at the mansion this morning. He pulls himself from his thoughts of his gorgeous blonde best friend to tune into the conversation the guys are having.

“I hear congratulations are in order. When is Laurel due?” Barry asks, taking a sip of his own beer.

“End of September,” Tommy beams, a proud smile on his face.

Oliver can’t help but chuckle, “If only it was sooner. She already complains all the time about wanting the kid out of her.”

Tommy laughs and nods in agreement, turning to Barry with a tilt of his head. “What about you? You’re still with Iris, right?”

“Yeah,” Barry grins. “We’ve been dating for about six years now.”

“Do I sense any wedding bells in the future?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows before taking another sip of his beer.

A blush covers Barry’s cheeks and he glances down, unable to hide is smile. He shrugs a shoulder, trying to appear nonchalant, “Uh, I don’t know. I don’t know. Maybe.”

Oliver laughs again, listening as they begin to steer the conversation towards the game and how bad Starling’s pitcher is doing in the game, when there’s a knock at the door. He sets his beer on the coffee table before rising to his feet and heading down the hall, his mouth falling open when his eyes land on who is standing there. His lips pull into a smile, “Babe, what are you doing here?”

Felicity brings a finger to her lips, shushing him as she peers over his shoulder before realizing the guys are fully enthralled in their conversation and the game. Her eyes land back on him and she takes a step forward. “I missed you. We were on the way back to the mansion for a spa thing and I told Thea I needed to go on a walk to clear my head. I don’t have much time or she’ll get suspicious.”

He smirks, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. “Felicity Smoak, who knew you were such a rebel. I’ll have to warn Laurel and Tommy; you might be a bad influence.” A far-away look crosses her face and he tilts his head, “What?”

“Nothing,” she recovers quickly, shaking her head slightly before peering back up at him with a breathless smile. “It’s just… That’s the last time anyone will call me that. Tomorrow I’ll finally be Felicity Queen.”

“Yeah,” he agrees before leaning down and capturing her lips in a tender kiss. He pulls away, pecking her lips one last time before backing into the open doorway. “You should get outta here. Don’t want Thea sending in a swat team,” he jokes.

Felicity laughs, “That is totally something she would do.” She raises a hand and waves, turning on her heels and heading down the hall.

“Hey,” Oliver stops her. She pauses, twisting back towards him with a curious glance. “See you tomorrow, Felicity Smoak,” he grins, throwing a wink at her. She giggles before continuing towards the elevator, smiling at him until the doors slide closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	26. You Stole My Heart (And You Set Me Free)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

**_August 2017_ **

_Lifting a hand to rub at her tired eyes, Felicity dug through her bag for her keys, pulling them out and unlocking her front door. She heard laughing as she pushed it open, eyes landing on her two friends sitting on her couch; she’d forgotten that they were coming over to hang out tonight. Both heads swiveled in her direction when they heard the heels of her boots on the hardwood floor_

_“Hey,” Iris greeted with a bright smile, “How was work?”_

_“Exhausting,” she complained, setting her purse down on the small kitchen table. “My boss still treats me like I’m dumber than my male counterparts, even though I am way more qualified than all of them put together.”_

_“That sucks,” Barry agreed before smiling with a tilt of his head, “Good news, we brought Chinese from that place you love. And we got your mail, it’s on the table.”_

_Felicity laughed lightly, “Thank you?” They rose from their seats on the couch, heading towards where she stood to start dishing out some food onto the plates they had set out earlier. Shuffling through useless coupons and a few bills, Felicity stopped at the envelope addressed to her with perfectly written cursive. Immediately knowing what it was, she sucked in a sharp breath through her nose, turning the envelope in her hand and ripping the top open. She pulled out the light pink colored cardstock, reading the words over and over in her head._

_“What is that?” Iris’ voice pulled her from her haze._

_She lifted her chin, trying to regain her composure. “Uh, it’s an invite. You remember my friends Tommy and Laurel?” Iris furrowed her brows slightly while Barry nodded. “They’re getting married. This is an invite to their engagement party in two weeks,” she glanced back down, studying the note, “In Starling.”_

_After a few moments in silence, Barry cleared his throat, “So you’re going back home?”_

_Without answering, she moved away from the table, sitting down on the couch while still staring at the paper cradled in her hands. Of course she’d have to go home, two of her closest friends were getting married; she couldn’t miss any part of that celebration. But on the other hand, how could she return? She hadn’t been there in years, hadn’t talked to_ him  _in_ years. _How could she face him after everything she’d done?_

_The couch dipped beside her and she looked to her left, eyes meeting Barry’s concerned ones. “You okay?” he asked._

_“Yeah,” she nodded, “It’ll be good to see everyone, see where I grew up. It’s been a really long time.”_

_“Felicity,” Barry started, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but maybe this is the best thing for you. I can tell how much you’ve missed your home. And you’re always saying how much you hate your job.”_

_Felicity furrowed her brows slightly, putting his words together and realizing what he was suggesting. “Wait, are you saying that you think I should move back to Starling City?”_

_“As much as we’ll miss you here, yeah. That’s what I’m saying.” he tilted his head, “You can’t honestly tell me you haven’t thought about it.”_

_And he was right; she had thought about it. A lot. She missed home, and seeing Tommy or Sara or Laurel every once in a while just didn’t do it anymore. She stared back down at the card in her hands as Barry stood up and made his way back over to his girlfriend, thinking that maybe he had a point; maybe Boston just wasn’t enough anymore._

 

* * *

 

**July 2018**

Oliver turns away from the mirror and towards his best man sitting on the couch, his hands tugging at his collar. “Is my tie straight? It looks crooked to me.”

Tommy takes another sip of his scotch before setting it down on the coffee table, laughing up at his best friend. “Ollie, your tie is fine. Damn, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous before.”

“I’m not nervous,” he admits quickly before taking a deep breath to center himself and turning back towards the mirror to fix his already-straight tie. “I’m not nervous, I’m just… I don’t even know. I just can’t believe this is actually happening.”

“Me either,” he confesses with a shrug, “I always thought I’d be the one to marry Lis.” Oliver meets his eyes in the mirror with a glare and Tommy throws up his hands in surrender, “Kidding.”

Stepping away from the mirror, Oliver lifts Tommy’s glass off the table, knocking back the rest of his scotch. He sets down the now empty glass and turns back to his friend, “This is really happening, right?”

Tommy grins, clapping a hand on the taller man’s shoulder, “You bet your ass it is. You are about to marry your best friend, Felicity Megan Smoak, after being secretly in love with her since you were eight.”

“Yeah,” he agrees before shaking his head slightly, “But that’s not entirely true.”

He raises a brow at him in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“I am going to marry Felicity Megan Smoak after being secretly in love with her since I was eight. But my best friend is right here.”

Tommy smiles before clearing his throat, trying not to let his emotions show, and patting him on the shoulder. “Alright, Ollie. Let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

Capping and setting down her tube of dark lipstick, Felicity turns back to face the floor-length mirror, running her hands over the fabric covering her stomach. She takes a deep breath as she stares at her reflection, unable to stop the small smile from tugging up the corners of her mouth. This is actually happening. She’s about to marry Oliver Queen; her best friend, the love of her life. She lifts her hands to dab under her eyes as she flicks them up towards the ceiling, trying to stop tears from falling and completely ruining the makeup that Thea had spent so long perfecting.

A knock on the door pulls her from her thoughts and Felicity turns to look over her shoulder, the flared bottom of her dress swishing around her feet as she does. Her eyes land on her mother, a huge smile on her face as she rushes inside.

“Oh honey,” Donna breathes, both hands flying up to cover her mouth, eyes immediately beginning to water. “You look so beautiful.”

“Please don’t cry,” Felicity chuckles, a slight hitch in her throat, “I can’t ruin my makeup.”

Donna wipes at the tears beginning to gather, “I’m sorry sweetie.” She moves forward, grabbing hold of her daughter’s hands, squeezing them lightly. “I have been waiting for this day for years.”

A disbelieving laugh bubbles past her lips, “So have I. I guess you were right about us all along.”

The older blonde scoffs, “Of course I was. I  _am_ your mother.”  She smiles, her eyes shining, “And I am so proud of the woman you’ve become despite your childhood.”

Felicity squeezes her mother’s hands tighter, “I had a good role model in you, the strongest woman I know.” She yanks her into a tight hug, “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, baby girl.” Donna pulls away after a few seconds, a bright smile on her face, “Now let’s go. You have an aisle to strut down.”

 

* * *

 

Felicity lifts her bouquet, watching as Tommy and Sara walk down the aisle, arms looped, to the soft music from the harpist Thea hired. The young girl goes next, shooting a wink at Felicity, and then is followed by Caitlin and finally, Laurel. Felicity sucks in a deep breath, letting it out slowly before flicking her curled hair over her shoulder and making her way outside. A bright smile immediately tugs up the corners of her mouth when her eyes land on Oliver, straight in front of her at the end of the aisle, his hands clasped in front of him with a smile that matches her own. The walk down the aisle is a blur because now she is standing in front of him, incredibly grateful that she managed not to trip. She tilts her chin, eyes meeting his and smiling so wide that it begins to hurt her cheeks, but she doesn’t even care. “Hi,” she breathes out.

“Hi,” Oliver says back, amazement coloring his tone. Their eyes never leave each other as the officiant, a man in his sixties, starts the ceremony, 100 of their closest friends and family mesmerized by the couple. He’s so lost in her eyes that he doesn’t hear anything until Tommy nudges him with his elbow with a whispered ‘Ollie’. “What?” Oliver asks, tilting his head towards the officiant, the guests’ laughs echoing around him as Thea rolls her eyes at her older brother.

“Your vows,” the older man chuckles.

“Right,” Oliver nods his head slightly, looking back to find Felicity still staring at him with an amused grin. Trying to remember what he planned out, Oliver takes a deep breath. “Felicity,” his mouth twists into an automatic smile just at the sound of her name falling from his lips. “The first day we met, it was raining outside. I saw you and I knew. I knew that you would change my life. You changed everything. You’re the only person that I’ve never lied to, the only person that I’ve never  _wanted_ to lie to. Growing up, everyone expected something from me, something that I couldn’t give them because I was lost. But I found myself in you.” Oliver’s smile grows as he recalls his best friend’s earlier words, “I have loved you since I was eight years old, before I even knew what love really was. And I know that I will love you until the day that I die.”

A tear leaks down Felicity’s cheek and she raises a hand to swipe it away, a teary laugh bubbling past her lips. The officiant nods at her, signaling that it is now her turn. “Oliver,” she starts just like he did, her smile becoming softer. “I had this all planned out, I’ve been working on my vows for weeks now. I’m pretty sure at this point, even Sara has them memorized.”

“That’s true,” the other blonde interjects.

Felicity chuckles with a tilt of her head, “I have a journal hidden in my nightstand filled with pages upon pages and now I’m babbling. Damn, I knew this would happen.” She closes her eyes and takes another deep breath. “The point is, none of that matters. The only thing that matters is that I love you. More than I’ve ever loved anyone, more than I even thought was possible. And that feeling of being lost? That’s how I’ve felt for the last five years without you in my life. But I know that we’re meant to be; it’s  _inevitable._ Because we found ourselves in each other.”

As the officiant continues, Tommy and Sara both step forward, respectively handing over the rings they’d been holding. Oliver’s eyes never waver from her as he slides it along her finger to meet up with the engagement ring sitting there, Felicity doing the same with his own ring, happily declaring those two magic words.

_I do._

Oliver steps closer to her, both hands rising to each side of her face as he pulls her in for a kiss; their first kiss as man and wife.

 

* * *

 

Tommy stands up, clinking his fork against his champagne glass in order to get everyone’s attention. The chattering quiets down, all eyes flicking towards the best man. “Hello everyone. On behalf of the bride and groom, I’d like to thank all of you for being here today.” He throws a quick wink at Felicity, her having made it very clear that a thank you must be included in his speech, before continuing, “For those of you who don’t know, I’m Tommy Merlyn, best man  _and_ best friend of the groom. When me and Ollie were kids, we used to think girls had cooties, and now here we are, both married.” He lets out a low whistle, shaking his head, “If only teenage Ollie was here right now; he would kick our asses,” he jokes earning laughs and a nudge to the leg from Laurel, her other hand resting on her large stomach.

Tommy turns slightly towards Oliver before he continues, “Ollie, I love you, man. You’re like a brother to me. We’ve gone through some tough times together, but we always come out the other end better than we were. And I’m unbelievably happy for you.” He grins as he shifts to look towards the bride, “This wedding is doubly special for me because not one, but  _two,_ of my best friends got married. Lis, you’re one of the strongest, most amazing women I have ever known. I love you; both of you.” Felicity lifts a hand to wipe away a fallen tear, Oliver’s hand squeezing her shoulder lightly where it is draped across the back of her chair. Tommy addresses the crowd once more, lifting his arm, “If you could all raise a glass. To my two best friends, the couple that makes everyone believe in soul mates.”

After Tommy’s toast, the singer of the band announces that it is time for the couple’s first dance. Oliver stands, reaching out and grabbing Felicity’s extended hand before dragging her onto the dance floor. His hands find their way to her hips as hers wind around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. Felicity closes her eyes, breathing in deeply and smiling to herself, “Can you believe it?”

“Hm?”

She glances up with what seems to be her permanent smile of the night. “We’re married.”

He gazes down at her with a matching expression of pure joy, “I know. I love you”

“I love you, too,” she whispers so only he can hear as various couples begin to join them on the dance floor.

“Are you having fun? Is it everything you ever dreamed of?” Oliver teases.

“Actually, yes.” she furrows her brows slightly before laughing, “Today was perfect. Thea did an amazing job with everything.”

“Except when it came to choosing alcohol.”

“What?” Felicity asks, confusion clear in her voice, their bodies swaying back and forth to the soft music.

He smirks, raising an eyebrow at his wife, “You don’t have to pretend. I saw you, you didn’t drink any of the champagne during the toasts. Or the wine that was going around. Usually you love red.”

Felicity stares at his chest for a few seconds before tilting her chin up, eyes glossier than before and a slow smile pulling at her lips. “I’m pregnant.”

He freezes, their faint movements halting altogether. He stares at her with wide eyes, “Are you serious?” She chews nervously on her bottom lip and nods her head in confirmation. Oliver laughs breathlessly before wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her feet off the ground in a fierce hug, only releasing her back to her feet so that he can mold his lips to hers, arms still tight around her waist.

Pulling away, Felicity rests her forehead against his, her eyes still closed. “So I take it you’re okay with this?”

“Okay? Felicity, I am so happy.”

“Good,” she opens her eyes and looks up, blue meeting blue. “I’m happy too. I love you, Mr. Queen.”

Lifting a hand, Oliver brushes his thumb across her cheekbone, “I love you, Mrs. Queen. Both of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	27. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You gave up on me. That’s all the explanation I need.” A tear trails down Felicity’s cheek as she watches Oliver turn on his heels and walk away from her. She wipes her face, taking a deep breath and moving to lean against the railing that Oliver had been using just moments ago to steady himself. Felicity shivers, the brisk wind hitting her arms and goosebumps spread across her skin but she can't force herself to go back inside. So, she stands out there, staring at the sky and wondering where it all went wrong, how she ended up here. She releases a bitter laugh, knowing exactly how she ended up here. Oliver was right; she got scared and she ran. And it was the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> An Olicity Best Friends AU

**October 2018**

Felicity rounds the corner, heels clacking loudly as she runs as quickly as her protruding stomach permits, which really isn’t that quick. Finally reaching the room marked 309, she pushes the door open. “I’m here, I’m here. Did I miss it?” she huffs out, trying to fill her lungs with enough air. She lifts a hand up to place on her hip and leans forward slightly, breathing heavily. “Damn, I really need to stop wearing heels.” After a few seconds, she straightens up, taking in the scene in front of her with a growing smile.

Laurel sits in the hospital bed, hair matted into a messy bun on top of her head, with a little pink bundle in her arms. Tommy is perched beside her as best he can on the small bed, one hand resting on his wife’s leg, his daughter gripping the index finger on his other hand with her tiny fist.

Oliver moves from where he stands beside the bed, a smirk on his face as he eyes his wife. “You good?” he crosses his arms over his chest, trying to suppress a grin.

Felicity narrows her eyes at him, her breathing having calmed down slightly. “Laugh, right now. I dare you.” A tiny gurgling sound pulls her from her annoyance and she looks over his shoulder, her face softening at the sight of her godchild. She moves around Oliver, her smile growing more the closer she gets.

Tommy looks up with a large smile on his face, “It’s a girl.”

“Wow,” she breathes out, stopping when she stands on the opposite side of Laurel and gazing down at the pink bundle wrapped securely in her mother’s arms. “Mazel tov guys, seriously. She’s beautiful.”

“She really is, isn’t she?” Laurel coos, eyes never leaving the baby girl.

Oliver moves to stand behind Felicity, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder as she leans back in his embrace. Tommy raises his head once more, “Guys, meet Savannah Rebecca Merlyn. Savannah,” he brushes a curled finger along her tiny, chubby cheek, “Meet your godparents.”

“Savannah Rebecca,” Felicity tests out the name with a smile, “It’s perfect.”

“She looks like you,” Oliver nods at him.

“Hopefully that goes away,” he chuckles, “so she can look just like her mother.” A small smile pulls at Laurel’s mouth as she finally lifts her gaze from her daughter, her eyes shining with love at her husband.

Felicity sighs, somewhat stepping out of Oliver’s arms to instead entwine their fingers. “We’ll give you guys some privacy. But we’ll be back so I can have my turn to hold her. I’m so happy for you guys.”

The tired couple bid their goodbyes and Oliver turns, leading Felicity out of the room and into the hallway, closing the door behind them. “I can’t believe Tommy and Laurel are parents,” he shakes his head lightly, moving to sit in one of the waiting room chairs.

She sits in the seat beside him, sliding her bag off her shoulder and setting it on the table next to the chair. “I can’t believe that’ll be us in less than six months.”

He reaches over, grabbing her hand and threading their fingers together causing her to turn her head to meet his gaze. “I can’t wait.”

A slow smile stretches across her face, “Me either.”

“How have you been feeling today?” Oliver asks, his brows furrowed slightly in concern. Since the wedding, she’s been having really bad morning sickness, if you could even call it that considering it happens all throughout the day. She felt fatigue and nausea so extreme it had been difficult for her to balance work when she was running to the bathroom every ten minutes. After the second day in a row without eating anything more than a few crackers, which she hadn’t even been able to keep down, Oliver had insisted that she see her doctor. However, Felicity being the stubborn woman she is, had decided that she was fine. It wasn’t until she had passed out at work in the middle of the day that she’d gone to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a complication of severe morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum. She was in the hospital for two nights receiving IV fluids to restore hydration, electrolytes, and nutrients. Luckily, it is a mild form, and she’s been feeling a lot better lately.

“Good, except my feet are trying to kill me,” she grumbles.

Oliver laughs at the anger on her face as she glares down at her feet, “I’ll give you a massage tonight.”

She looks back at him with a smirk and a raised eyebrow, “Oh yeah? Just on my feet?”

“Well, what else did you have in mind?”

“See, I was thinking that maybe you could use those magic fingers of yours and -- Oh!” She interrupts herself, eyes widening and her free hand flying to her stomach.

He springs forward to the edge of his chair, “What is it? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m… I’m fine.” Felicity glances up with a surprised smile, her eyes glossy. She curls her fingers slightly where they rest, “The baby just kicked.”

Oliver exhales the breath he’d been holding, relief flooding through him that she isn’t in any pain. After a few moments, he finally processes what she’d just said and breathes out, “Really?”

She tugs his hand towards her until it rests flat on her stomach beneath her own hand. Furrowing her brows in concentration, she moves his hand around until she rediscovers the exact location she had felt it.

“I don’t feel anything,” he admits.

“Just wait.” She keeps their hands still, pushing down a little to increase the pressure, hoping that it would make the baby move again. Just as she is about to give up, their baby’s little foot pushes out against her stomach, startling her in the best way possible.

Oliver’s eyes widen slightly at the feeling of his child moving, looking up to Felicity and matching her smile. “Whoa. That’s… amazing.”

“I know,” she agrees just as the baby gives another kick.

Lifting his free hand to Felicity’s face, he brushes a fallen tear away from her cheek. “Babe, why are you crying?

She smiles and sniffles, scrunching her nose in the cutest way, “They’re happy tears. Because I love you, and I can’t wait to meet our baby.”

“I love you too,” Oliver assures, leaning forward to place a soft kiss to her lips. He only pulls away at the feeling of another kick against his palm, and he rubs his thumb back and forth against the smooth fabric of her dress. “Let’s go home and change. We can come back after to see Savannah, okay?”

Felicity nods, holding onto his hands as he helps her stand from her seat. “Sounds perfect. These shoes really are a bitch.” Oliver laughs at the frown on her face as she picks up her bag, holding her hand as they head out of the hospital.

 

* * *

 

**March 2019**

The door closes behind Thea and Felicity falls back against the fluffy pillow, closing her eyes and breathing out in relief. This had been the first moment of peace they’d had since she went into labor twelve hours ago. Between pushing a human being out of her while trash-talking her husband and then having her room flooded with overbearing mothers and talkative sister-in-laws, she is exhausted; she just wants to take an extremely long nap. A quiet gurgling sound wakes her up and she turns her head, opening one eye experimentally before smiling at the sight in front of her. Oliver sits in the chair settled between her hospital bed and the bassinet, staring down at the baby nestled in his large arms, his sleeves rolled up his forearms.

“Now this is a view I could get used to,” Felicity admires, her voice tired.

Oliver lifts his chin, a soft smile on his face, “How are you feeling?”

She shifts under the covers, sitting up as best she can, “Like I want to hold my baby.”

“Okay,” he chuckles, rising to his feet and carefully handing over their son, his little arms waggling in front of him.

Felicity gazes down at him, what seems to be a permanent smile on her face. “Hi baby,” she coos, voice so quiet it’s almost a whisper, “You’re perfect, and Mommy loves you.” She grabs ahold of his tiny fist, bringing it up to her mouth and pressing kisses to it. She groans internally at the sound of the door to her room opening, not really wanting to deal with her mother again right now, and she looks up before breathing a sigh of relief at the person walking inside.

“Hi guys,” Tommy greets as he moves towards Oliver, pulling him into a hug. “Welcome to the club, Ollie,” he jokes and pats him on the shoulder.

“Where’s Laurel?” Felicity questions, a crease forming between her brows.

Tommy pulls away with a shrug, “Savannah has a little bit of a cold, so Laurel wanted to stay home with her. She sends her love and her congratulations. Now,” he claps his hands and rubs his palms together, “Lemme see the kid.” Oliver laughs, moving back to where he had been sitting beside Felicity’s bed, Tommy moving to the opposite side.

“Do you want to hold him?” she asks, shifting to pass him over when Tommy simply nods his head.

“Hey little guy.” Tommy smiles at the wide blue eyes staring up at him. “He have a name yet?”

“Robert, after my dad. Robbie for short,” Oliver answers.

“But his full name,” she interjects, glancing back at her husband before returning her gaze to the other man, “is Robert Thomas Queen.”

Tommy’s head shoots up at that bit of information, his mouth falling open in shock. “You - you’re naming your kid after me?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t we? Tommy, you’re our best friend,” Felicity says, like it’s not even a question.

“Yeah,” Oliver nods, a smile slipping onto his face as he grips her hand, lacing their fingers together. “We love you, buddy.”

Tommy is speechless as he just stares at them, truly touched at the fact that their son will forever have his name. A few moments later, he returns his look to Robbie, blinking away the water in his eyes and clearing the emotion from his throat. “That’s… That’s cool.” Felicity tries to hide her smile, squeezing her husband’s hand and meeting his eyes to find him also trying to suppress a grin.

The baby starts wiggling in his arms, his face scrunching up as he makes a small noise of distress. “Here,” he quickly hands Robbie back over to his mother, and he calms almost immediately. Tommy takes in his two best friends and their little family, “I’m really happy for you guys. God knows you deserve this.”

“So do you,” Felicity assures.

His phone buzzes in his pocket and Tommy pulls it out, reading over the text message he just received. Locking it, he slides it back into his pocket, “Laurel needs me to get some stuff at the store for Savannah. We’ll come visit as soon as she’s better, Laurel really wants to see Robbie.” He leans forward, placing a kiss to the top of Felicity’s head. He tickles Robbie’s cheek with his index finger causing him to squeal with pleasure. “Bye little man,” he laughs.

Oliver stands from his seat and walks him to the door, pulling him into a goodbye hug. “Thanks for stopping by, man.”

“Yeah well, the kid’s gotta know his awesome Uncle Tommy slash godfather slash namesake,” he smirks.

“Get outta here,” Oliver chuckles and shakes his head, pushing his best friend out the door. Once it’s closed, he makes his way back towards his family, scooting Felicity over slightly so he can lay next to her on the bed. He drapes an arm around her shoulders, rubbing the pads of his fingers up and down her skin.

“He’s so cute. How is he so cute? Look at him,” Felicity gushes, grabbing Robbie’s pacifier from the nightstand and popping it in his mouth. He sucks it between his lips causing it to bob slightly, his eyes wide open and gazing up at his parent's curiously.

Oliver uses his other hand to tug down the rim of Robbie’s hat so it fits more securely on his little head. “Apparently, we just make good lookin’ kids,” he shrugs a shoulder.

She huffs, tilting her head so she can actually see him, “Kid. As in one.”

“Yeah, we’ll see.”

She laughs again before gazing back down at Robbie, her smile softening. She scratches a finger on his stomach and he wiggles his arms, grasping her index finger in his fist with surprising strength. “Mommy loves you so much,” she whispers. Felicity gazes over her shoulder once more, “And I love you. So much.”

“I love you, too,” Oliver promises, cradling her cheek with his free hand as he presses a long, slow kiss to her lips. Once he pulls away, he keeps their foreheads together, moving his hand to brush over Robbie’s head. “And I love our family.” He presses another kiss to the side of her head before they both settle back into the bed, smiling and gazing down at their son.

 

* * *

 

**October 2022**

Felicity slides open the back door of the Merlyn house with an elbow, stepping onto the deck patio and carefully trying to close the door behind her with her foot, made especially difficult by her long maxi dress. Seeing her clearly struggling, Sara excuses herself from her conversation with Nyssa and jogs over to the other blonde.

“Need some help?” she asks, trying not to laugh.

Felicity glares at her friend, “Yes.” She gives up on the door, allowing Sara to slide it shut. She then takes one of the tall glasses of lemonade from Felicity’s grasp, allowing her to move the sippy cup being held in the crook of her elbow to her now-free hand. She huffs out a breath, trying to get the hair out of her face, “Thank you.”

“No problem. I see someone struggling, I help. Especially when it’s the pregnant chick,” Sara smirks before laughing at the glare Felicity sends her.

“How about you just follow me to the table before the pregnant chick gets angry.” Sara giggles but does as she’s told, following her to the table where Oliver and Tommy sit with Captain Lance and a couple other parents drinking beers. Savannah’s 4th birthday was a couple days ago and her parents decided to throw her a huge party, inviting all the kids from her preschool class, along with their families.

The women reach the table and set down the glasses, Laurel seeing them and heading over. She picks up one of the lemonades and takes a long drink through the straw. “Thanks, Felicity. You’re the best.”

“No problem,” she smiles, taking a sip of her own drink. She sits down next to Oliver on the bench, her back leaning against the edge of the table. Felicity sets down her lemonade, picking up the sippy cup she had gotten and looking out into the backyard where kids run around everywhere, playing with fake swords and jumping in the bounce house. After a few moments, she spots who she is looking for. “Robbie!” she calls, trying to get his attention.

The little boy stops running in circles with one of the other kids, turning and instead running towards the origin of the familiar voice. He barrels into Felicity’s legs, hands resting on top of her thighs. “Hi Mama!” he looks at her with a toothy grin, his blonde hair styled into the fake mohawk he insists on having.

Felicity smiles down at her son, “Hi baby. I got you some juice.” She hands over the sippy cup and he takes it with both of his chubby hands, gulping down almost half of it in one sip.

“Whoa there, buddy. Slow down before you fall over,” Oliver raises a brow at the little boy.

“But I’m thirsty,” Robbie explains with wide eyes, mispronouncing the last word in the most adorable way possible before bringing the cup back to his mouth.

“Yeah, Oliver. He’s thirsty,” Felicity teases causing him to laugh, raising his hands in mock surrender.

Robbie finishes his juice and holds the cup out straight in front of him, “I’m done, Mama.”

She takes the cup, huffing out a laugh as she sets it down, “C’mere, you little munchkin.” Reaching out, she grabs ahold of him under his arms, lifting him up and sitting him sideways on her lap as best she can. She grabs a napkin, wiping the juice away from around his mouth.

When she finishes, Robbie glances up at her, “Can I go play with Savannah now? It’s her birthday and I’m her bestest friend.”

“Sure buddy,” she laughs at how he says  _birthday_ with the ‘th’ sounding like an ‘f’ and he wiggles, sliding down and off her legs.

“Daddy, come play with me!”

“Maybe in a little bit, bud.” Oliver smirks over his shoulder, “But I’m sure Uncle Tommy would  _love_ to come play with you.”

Robbie’s mouth opens wide and he runs to Tommy, grabbing one of his hands and attempting to tug him up from the table. “Please Uncle Tommy!”

Tommy looks down at his godson, crinkling his nose like he is deep in thought. “I don’t know, kid…”

“Pleeaassee!” Robbie begs. Suddenly, Tommy lurches forward, lifting Robbie into his arms so that he is on his side, slightly upside down and giggling uncontrollably as Tommy starts jogging towards where Savannah is playing with other kids.

“Damn, my nephew is the cutest kid. He must get that from me,” Thea interjects with a smirk, walking down the deck stairs. She is just arriving, one of her classes having run late. She’s in her third year of college at SCU, choosing to stay close to home to be near her family, Robbie in particular. Oliver has never been prouder than when she told him she got into SCU and that she was going to double major in business and fashion. Everyone can see how hard she has been working to be a better person, in every way.

Oliver sets down his beer bottle, rising to his feet and pulling his sister into a hug, “Hey Speedy.

“Ollie,” she greets before pulling away.

“Where’s Roy?”

Thea’s smile widens at the mere mention of her boyfriend of almost three years, “He can’t make it, he has to work.” She moves around him, raising a brow at Felicity, “What, I don’t get a hug from my sister-in-law?”

“Honey if you want a hug, you gotta come get it. I’m not moving,” Felicity states.

Laughing, she bends down, pulling the blonde into a quick hug before standing straight again. “I’m gonna go find Sara.”

Oliver points off to his right, “I think she’s over by the bounce house with Laurel and Nyssa.”

“Thanks Ollie,” she places her hands on his shoulders, leaning up and kissing his cheek before heading off in the direction of the bounce house.

He sits back down next to Felicity, glancing up with a curious look when he feels her staring at him. “What?”

She smiles softly and shakes her head lightly, pulling herself out of her haze. “Nothing. I just hope the baby is a girl.”

“Yeah?” He raises his eyebrows, lifting the bottle and taking a sip of his beer.

“Yeah. Because I see the way you are with Thea, how you’ve always been with her. And I want our kids to have that.”

Oliver grins and leans forward, placing a kiss to her lips. “Well, I hope the baby is a girl and that she’s exactly like you.”

She laughs, pushing at his shoulder half-heartedly. The recognizable giggle of their son makes them turn towards the bounce house, seeing Robbie and Savannah go down the slides at the same time. When they land at the bottom, Robbie runs to her, grabbing her hand to pull her up and then dragging her back to climb up to the slides again. “Man, those two do everything together.”

“Well, they’re best friends. What do you expect?” he takes the final sip of his beer and then sets down the empty bottle.

“I know. I just think it’s adorable.” A sly smile tugs up the corners of Felicity’s mouth and she turns to her husband. “Who knows… Maybe they’ll even fall in love one day.”

Oliver’s lips morph into a smirk before he shifts, watching as Robbie and Savannah go down the slides at the same time again, “Yeah, maybe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story's title is from the song "One Day" by Kodaline. All of the chapter titles come from various songs by the same band.
> 
> Follow me at -- emily-betts.tumblr.com :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and any original characters that may be added in later. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to CW Television and DC Comics.


	28. *not a chapter*

Hey cuties! For anyone who hasn't yet, go check out the new one-shot series titled

[Thank You For Every Smile (And For Every Memory)](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6413674/chapters/14682808)

to see little moments in the lives of our favorite characters after Parts 1 & 2!

* * *

  Also, go check out my new story titled

[Spotlight](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6710854/chapters/15346546)

for an  Olicity!RockStar AU!


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